South Florida Forecast
November 06, 2025
By Capt. Alan Sherman
Capt. Alan Sherman covers Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable, including Pompano Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and Homestead. Contact info: shermana@bellsouth.net ; (786)436-2064; www.getemsportfishing.com
Nov. 7-9 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southeast at 5 to 10 knots this weekend.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef With water temperatures slowly falling from the high 80’s to the low 80’s we are seeing more Spanish mackerel and bluefish off the Oceanside piers and jetties. A few snook, pompano, lots of bluerunners and jacks are being caught as well. The top baits have been shrimp, pilchards, and shiny spoons. The offshore bite continues to produce steady catches of kingfish, Spanish mackerels, cero mackerels, bonitos, sailfish, mahi, blackfin tuna, and swordfish. The kings, mackerel, bonitos, and sailfish have been biting throughout the day just outside the outer reef line to about 300 feet of water. Live bait is getting most of the strikes, but drifting fresh ballyhoos and Spanish sardines has produced plenty of fish. Trolling silver and blue spoons with a planer is getting plenty of strikes. Mahi have been caught along the blue water color change out to 1000 feet of water. At times Mahi can be seen chasing schools of ballyhoos and flying fish along the outer reef. Sailfish are feeding on live baits fished under a kite. Swordfishing has been good during the daytime. The swordfish have been caught on the bottom in 1800 feet of water. Large squids and bonito strips have been getting the strikes. Large mutton snappers are being caught over wrecks in 180 to 240 feet of water. The night e bottom fishing is providing action from snappers, grunts, bluerunners, mackerel, bluefish, and kingfish. This action is happening in many of the dredge holes along the coast. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 9;47.
North Biscayne Bay Sector continue to provide plenty of action on North and South Bay. The trout are feeding along the edges of the flats that have healthy shoal grass. A live shrimp or pilchard is getting a lot of the fish. Casting the NLBN jig heads with a soft plastic is getting plenty of strikes. Mangrove snappers, small jacks, bluerunners, bluefish, and mackerels are also being caught in the bay. The nighttime snook and tarpon action was slow this week. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 11:47.
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South Bay Cooler water temperatures have moved the bonefish to deeper muddy bottoms in South Bay. Anchoring in an area that looks like bonefish might be in and chumming g with cut pieces of dead shrimp could bring the bones with in casting distance. Cast a live or dead shrimp out in the area that you are chumming with the shrimps tail twisted off is a good way to get a bonefish strike while you are waiting for a bonefish to tail or mud within casting range. Lots of big needlefish have invaded the finger channels. The needle fish are fun and acrobatic when hooked but can really mess up a rig and are dangerous to unhook. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 11:04 in the morning.
Flamingo As the Florida Bay waters continue to cool down expect more sheepshead and black drum to be willing to eat a live shrimp or piece of shrimp fished on the bottom. Look for these fish in the channels, along the mangrove shorelines and in the creeks and rivers. Sea trout have s hooked up over many of the grass flats in Florida Bay. Fish a Cajun Thunder float with a live shrimp for these fish. Spanish mackerel, cobia, tripletail, bluefish, and pompano are being caught just outside of Sandy Key. Anchor in 10 feet of water. Put a block of chum in the water. Fish a live shrimp on a jig head or Cajun Thunder and as long as the tide is moving the fish will keep on biting. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay will be at 3:57 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 9:57 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
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PREVIOUS REPORTS Oct. 31-Nov. 2 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 5 to 10 knots late Friday into Saturday and then 15 to 20 knots on Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef Pier, surf, and jetty fishermen have had some luck catching pompano, bluefish, jacks, bluerunners, snook, and Spanish mackerel. The offshore bite has been good for kingfish, cero mackerel, dolphin fish, wahoo, and sailfish. The kings, cero mackerel, and sailfish have been biting live baits in depths from 80 feet out to 300 feet of water. The wahoo have been caught under floating debris and the dolphin fish have been roaming the ocean. The dolphin fish have been caught as shallow as 90 feet of water and as deep as 1,000 feet of water. Bottom fishing during the daytime is producing catches of mutton snappers. The snappers are biting over rocky bottom in depths between 80 and 120 feet of water. Live pilchards and ballyhoo is what they have been eating. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 10:55.
North Biscayne Bay Schools of pilchards continue to attract an assortment of predators. Where the birds are diving on the baitfish, you might catch jack crevalles, bluerunners, lizardfish, sea trout, mangrove snappers, bluefish, barracudas, and Spanish mackerel. To catch these fish you can troll Rapala X Raps, cast NLBN’s, or fish live pilchards and shrimp either free lined or from under a Cajun Thunder float. Sea trout and mangrove snappers are scattered throughout the bay. Look for these fish to be feeding along the edges of the grass flats that have a decent tidal flow. Snook and tarpons have been feeding at night under dock lights and along bridge shadow lines on the outgoing tides. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 6:38.
South Bay Bonefishing has been very good along the Oceanside flats south of Bear Cut to Ocean Reef. The Finger Channels continue to provide rod bending action from snappers, jacks, barracudas, and a few Spanish mackerel. Live pilchards and shrimp have been getting the strikes. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 5:55 in the morning.
Flamingo Large redfish and snook were being caught in good numbers on top of the Florida Bay flats. The cooler weather that moved in at the end of the week may push a lot of the fish into the channels. The inside waters of Whitewater and Oyster Bays was producing lots of action from small snooks and some decent redfish. These fish will probably be feeding along the deeper edges of the islands and in the creeks. Lots of Goliath groupers continue to take artificials and live bait in the backcountry. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 7:37 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 10:38 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Oct. 24-26 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable Hurricane Melissa will have most boaters staying on land due to what could be very dangerous conditions this weekend. NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 20 to 30 knots late Friday. Saturday winds are forecasted to be out of the east at 25 to 30 knots and Sunday east at 25 to 30 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef If we didn’t have to worry about tropical storm conditions affecting our waters this weekend then we might have enjoyed catching g kingfish, small blackfin tunas, dolphin fish, sailfish, and others. Hopefully when the wind did and seas come down the fishing will be even better. Often after a big blow this time of year we see big schools of mutton snappers and red groupers invade the offshore reefs. Time will tell. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 11:04.
North Biscayne Bay Bay waters will be rough and dirty this weekend. Schools of baitfish were scattered throughout the bay before the weather changed. Bluefish, Spanish mackerel, jack crevalles, ladyfish, sea trout, snappers, snook, and tarpons were at times feeding on those baitfish schools. Let’s hope they are still there when the weather gets back to normal. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 6:38.
South Bay Expect the waters of South Bay to be a mess since there isn’t much wind protection out there. Bonefish, permits, sharks, barracudas, snappers, groupers, jacks, and Spanish mackerel. I look forward to seeing what the fishing will be like after things calm down. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 6:08 in the morning.
Flamingo It doesn’t look like the west coast of Florida will escape the big winds this weekend. Expect the outside waters of Florida Bay to be be rough, muddy and with lots of floating grass. The inside waters of Whitewater and Oyster Bay will provide some shelter from the wind. If you know these waters well you should be able to escape the wind and catch some snook, redfish, sea trout, and tarpons. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 5:12 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 12:09 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Oct. 17-19 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east at 15 to 20 knots late Friday. Saturday winds are forecasted to be east at 15 knots and Sunday southeast at 10 to 15 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef Tarpon, snook, jack crevalles, barracudas and sharks have been tearing up the mullet schools at the ocean inlets. If you can time it right when the schools of mullets move in the fishing has been off the charts. Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and small pompano have been biting along the Oceanside beaches. Hit the fishing piers and jetties for these fish. The offshore bite has been consistent for sailfish, kingfish, wahoo, and dolphin fish. Look for showering baitfish to help you locate where the action is. Best depths have been from 40 feet of water out to over 200 feet of water. On the bottom during the daytime, mutton snappers are biting. The snappers are biting over rocky bottoms in depths from 80 feet of water out to 200 feet of water. Nighttime reef fishing is producing catches of yellowtail, mangrove, and mutton snappers, bluefish, Spanish and king mackerels, bluerunners, and grunts are also part of the catch. The bite is happening in depths from 40 feet of water out to 100 feet of water. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 6:47.
North Biscayne Bay Schools of pilchards and threadfin herrings are scattered throughout North Bay. Big schools of mullets are also in the bay. All of these baitfish schools are moving south and attracting a lot of attention from a variety of fish. The small baitfish schools are attracting the attention of jacks, ladyfish, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, sea trout, bluerunners, snappers, tarpons, and snook. The mullet schools are being eaten by big sea trout, big jacks, big ladyfish, bluefish, tarpons, snook, sharks, and barracudas. Tarpons and snook are being caught along bridge shadow lines that have schools of mullets nearby at night. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:29.
South Bay Windy conditions have made it more difficult to see bonefish and permits over the shallow flats of South Bay. These same conditions make it harder for the fish to detect the vibrations and noise of your boat. The Finger Channel’s have had a lot of under size snappers forced bending action. Jack crevalles, yellowjacks, barracudas, sharks, and giant needlefish are being caught as well. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:46 in the morning.
Flamingo Sea trout, snook, redfish, and tarpons have been feeding under mullet muds in Florida Bay. Snook and redfish can be targeted along the outside shorelines where mullet schools are swimming. Big sharks unfortunately are there to and steal every fish you try to boat. Permits have been schooled up over hard bottoms in the Gulf of America. The inside waters of whitewater and Oyster Bays have been pretty good with decent catches of snook, redfish, Goliath groupers, and a few black drum. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 9:26 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 6:45 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Oct. 10-12 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southeast at 10 to 15 knots as a weak cold front approaches the southeast coast. Saturday winds are forecasted to be northwest at 10 knots. Sunday winds are forecasted to be 10 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef Lots of unsettled weather this past week kept many fishermen from heading offshore. The fishermen that did go offshore were rewarded with solid catches of king mackerels, dolphin fish, blackfin tunas, sailfish, and bonitos on or near the surface. The action is taking place from the outer reef line in 80 feet of water out to 200 feet of water. The fish were eating live pilchards, threadfin herring, goggle eye jacks, and ballyhoo. Vertical jigging was also catching fish. Schools of baitfish have been migrating in these depths of water and at times the fish can be seen eating them. Keep your eyes open for diving birds and frigate birds to help you locate the fish. Large mutton snappers have been caught by fishermen trolling ballyhoo or strips of bonito near the bottom. The first schools of bluefish and Spanish mackerel showed up along the beaches and some have made it into the bay. Day and night anchor fishing has been good for yellowtail and mutton snappers. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 11:56.
North Biscayne Bay Schools of baitfish continue to get hammered by jack crevalles, big ladyfish, sea trout, mangrove snappers, Spanish mackerel, and bluefish. Trolling Rapala X Raps around diving terns that are picking off baitfish that have been chased to the surface by these predators will keep you in the action. You can also cast NLBN jig heads tipped with a soft plastic will get you into the fish. The nighttime snook and tarpon bite continues to be good at night. The best action is taking place on the outgoing tides. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 7:40.
South Bay Windy weather has made bonefishing and permit fishing tough. The waters of South Bay were very milky. Snappers and yellowjacks, large needlefish, and barracudas continue to bite in the Finger Channels. Live shrimp and pilchards are getting the fish. The first Spanish mackerel have moved into South Bay. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:10 in the morning.
Flamingo Fishing is good but landing fish is tough. Snook, redfish, sea trout, and tarpons are being caught over the Florida Bay flats. The problem is keeping the sharks from eating your catch. The fish either get eaten on the way in or after the release. The same fish have been feeding along the coast where big schools of finger and silver mullets have been. The inside waters have done fish to be targeted but the bugs have been bad. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:03 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 11:36 PM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
PREVIOUS REPORTS Oct. 3-5 Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southeast at 15 to 25 knots late Friday through Saturday. Sunday winds are forecasted to be 10 to 15 knots out of the southeast.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef The stormy conditions from tropical storm Imelda kept most offshore fishermen on land. Seas calmed down on Tuesday but the fishing was really off. Maybe due to the big swells that the storm created. By the end of the week the fish started biting again. Most of the action was taking place in 80 to 200 feet of water. In these depths kingfish, bonitos, sailfish, dolphin fish, and blackfin tunas were being caught. With a full moon on Monday, wahoo could be biting along the outside of the reefs. Might be worth trolling high speed wahoo lures first thing in the morning. Bottom fishing was slow all week. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 6:28.
North Biscayne Bay Schools of baitfish are scattered throughout North Bay. Loads of ladyfish, sea trout, snappers, small sharks, and barracudas are feeding hard on this bait. You can get into the action by casting the BLBN jig heads tipped with a soft plastic around these schools. Mullet schools in the bay are being eaten by big jack crevalles, snook, and tarpons. The nighttime snook and tarpon bite has been good around the dock lights and bridge shadow lines. L High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:03.
South Bay Lots of yellowjacks, barracudas, sharks, and mangrove snappers are biting in the Finger Channels. Bonefishing was only fair! High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:20 in the morning.
Flamingo Big schools of mullets are in Florida Bay. The mullets create big mullet muds and in these muds sea trout, ladyfish, jacks, snook, redfish, tarpons, and sharks are feeding on the mullets. Over the flats south of Sandy Key, lots of jacks, ladyfish, sea trout, and snappers are biting chunks of pinfish fished under a Cajun Thunder float. Tarpons have been eating live mullets in the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay. The inside waters of Whitewater and Oyster Bays continue to be buggy and slow. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:52 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 6:32 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Sept. 26-28 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable NOAA Weather is forecasting winds out of the southeast at 5 to 10 knots late Friday, then turning to the north at 5 knots Saturday through Sunday. Mid afternoon thunderstorms have been happening almost every day. Get out early and come in before these storms build up. Check the most recent marine weather forecast before heading out.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef The big thing this past week was the migrating mullet schools moving in and out of our ocean inlets. Schools of medium to large tarpon, snook, jack crevalle, barracuda, and sharks have been feeding heavily on these baitfish. Snook fishing off the Oceanside piers has been excellent. The offshore bite picked up a bit this week. From the outer reef out to 300 feet of water, kingfish, bonito, large blackfin tuna, sailfish, barracuda, sharks, and wahoo were caught. These fish have been scattered in these depths. Trolling rigged ballyhoo, Sea Witches tipped with bonito strips, and silver and blue Drone spoons all caught fish. Getting these baits deep with the help of lead weights or planers increases your strike ratio. Blackfin tuna and skipjack tuna have been chasing schools of tiny sardines in depths greater than 300 feet of water. Trolling small plastic squids or small spoons where diving terns are present can get you into the action. Dolphin were caught in better numbers and size this week. Look for them in the blue water around weedlines, patches of weeds, under floating debris, and under birds. The fish have shown up in depths between 800 to well over 1,000 feet of water. During the daytime, when the currents allow, bottom fishing for vermilion and yelloweye snapper has been good. The best bite is happening over hard bottom in depths over 300 feet of water. Day and night, yellowtail snapper continue to provide steady action for anchor fishermen. The best bite is happening over rocky bottom in depths between 60 and 100 feet of water. The key is keeping a steady flow of frozen chum in the water while you fish small baits on 1/8 ounce jig heads. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 5:53.
North Biscayne Bay Sea trout and mangrove snapper continue to bite over and along the edges of the bay flats. The best bite is taking place in areas where baitfish schools are present. Casting NLBN jig heads tipped with a soft plastic tail is getting plenty of fish, and a Cajun Thunder float with live bait is the next best thing. Plenty of jack crevalle, small barracuda, ladyfish, and blue runners are mixed in with the trout. The nighttime tarpon and snook bite has been excellent in the bay. The action is taking place where mullet schools are. Find the mullet and you will find the fish. Look for them along the shadow lines of the bridges. Lighted dock lights are producing some fish as well. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 7:52.
South Bay The shallow flats of South Bay continue to provide action from bonefish. Look for bonefish during the first few hours of the incoming tide. Permit continue to be caught on the Oceanside hard-bottom flats. The Finger Channels are producing steady catches of snapper, jacks, barracuda, and big bull sharks. Snook are schooled up around baitfish schools along the western shorelines of South Bay. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:22 in the morning.
Flamingo An early-morning outgoing tide should provide a few hours of good sight fishing over the shallow flats of Florida Bay. Big schools of mullet have been creating large muds on the flats, and that is where the fish will be. Once the water gets too shallow, fish the edges of the flats. Weedless soft plastics are your best bet here. Sea trout have been feeding under many of the mullet schools. The flats south of Sandy Key have been holding good numbers of mullet and trout. Some decent mangrove snapper and large tarpon have been where the mullet are. Snook and redfish have been feeding along the tree lines on the coast. A live bait fished under a Cajun Thunder float works well around the shorelines. The inside waters continue to be buggy, but if you’re up to the challenge, there are snook, redfish, tarpon, goliath grouper, sea trout, and snapper to be caught. Look for snook and sea trout at the points of the islands, snapper and goliath grouper along undercut mangrove shorelines, and redfish and tarpon along island shorelines where they can sometimes be sight fished. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:24 AM, and at the mouth of Ponce de León Bay, high tide is at 3:29 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Sept. 19-21 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable NOAA Weather is forecasting winds out of the northeast at 10 knots late Friday and into Saturday. Late Saturday and into Sunday, winds will shift to 10 knots out of the southeast. We will also be under the influence of a New Moon this weekend.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef If you’re after snook, tarpon, and big jack crevalles, don’t wait. Get out now and take advantage of the fall mullet run. Schools of finger mullet and larger mullet have migrated along our beaches, into the ocean inlets, and into the bays. Hungry predators are destroying these mullet everywhere they go. Keep in mind that baitfish are moving south—one day they’re there, the next day they’re gone. Right place, right time, and your rod is bent with the drag screaming. The offshore bite is still inconsistent. A lot more bait is in our area now, and kingfish, bonitos, blackfin tunas, and a few sailfish are taking advantage. This action is taking place in depths from 100 to 300 feet of water. However, the larger predators that usually follow this bait have yet to show up in strong numbers—something that could change any day. Dolphin fishing has been good, but you must run well offshore to find them. Reports have weedlines and dolphins starting about 12 miles offshore, and at times as far as 15 miles. An east wind might move these weedlines and fish closer to shore.Daytime bottom fishing has been good for yelloweye and vermilion snappers, plus amberjacks. These fish are holding over artificial reefs and hard bottoms in waters deeper than 200 feet. Along the outer reef, in depths between 70 and 100 feet, yellowtail and mutton snappers have been biting both day and night. Anchoring and chumming is the key to success. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 8:02 PM.
North Biscayne Bay Big schools of finger mullet have entered the bay, and feeding on them are jack crevalles, snook, tarpon, barracudas, sharks, and sea trout. Schools of pilchards and threadfin herrings are also in the bay, and feeding on these smaller baitfish have been bluerunners, sea trout, snappers, jacks, barracudas, and ladyfish. At night, the tarpon, snook, and jack crevalle bite has been excellent. Look for the mullet schools—that’s where the action will be. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:35 AM.
South Bay Bonefish and permit fishing continues to be good in South Bay. Some of the best action is taking place along the Oceanside of Soldiers Key. Schools of pilchards have made their way into South Bay, and where they settle, snook, tarpon, snappers, barracudas, yellow jacks, and sharks will be nearby. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 8:52 AM.
Flamingo Mullet schools have been thick across most of the shallow flats of Florida Bay. Feeding on these mullet are snook, redfish, sea trout, big sharks, and tarpon. Along the coast, next to the shorelines, snook, sea trout, tarpon, and sharks have been active. The inside waters have fish to catch, but once the mosquitoes catch your scent, it’s time to get out of town.
Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 10:18 AM, and at the mouth of Ponce de Leon Bay, low tide will be at 7:43 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Sept. 12-14 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable If the weather forecast holds, look for drier and maybe cooler temperatures this weekend when a cold front pushes through South Florida. NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the north at 5 to 10 knots late Friday through Saturday. Sunday winds are forecasted to be out of the northeast at 5 to 10 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef Snook fishing continues to be good along the beaches, off the piers and in the ocean inlets especially on the outgoing tides. The snook are biting a wide variety of live baits and artificial baits bear the bottom. The offshore bite was tough all week with the constant rain squalls. Along the outer reef out to 260 feet of water, up and down the coast it was scattered kingfish, bonitos, blackfin tunas, sailfish, barracudas, wahoo, and sharks. Dolphin fish were way offshore with the rest winds. Best reports came from 20 miles out. Wreck fishing was good with light south currents. Vermillion and yelloweye snappers were biting cut squid on the bottom. Yellowtail snappers and mutton snappers were biting chunks of Spanish sardines es both day and night on the bottom in depths between 70 to 100 feet of water. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 6:44.
North Biscayne Bay The recent rains have made a mess of North Bay. Tons of freshwater has made into the northern parts of the bay pushing most of the baitfish schools a fish to the saltier east side of the bay. Sea trout continue to bite if you can locate a school. Look the trout on the edges of the flats where theories a good tidal flow. If you spot some small baitfish in an area like that, expect trout, mangrove snappers, and jack crevalles to be near by. The NLBN jig heads and soft plastics are good baits to cast for these fish. At night expect snook, small tarpons, snappers, and jacks to be holding under lighted dock lights and sling bridge shadow lines on the east dude of the bay. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:57.
South Bay Bonefish and permits continue to bend fishing g rods for the guys in the skinny flats skiffs. The fish have been up close to the Oceanside islands south of the Ragged Keys south to Ocean Reef. The best bite is happening early on an incoming to tide. The channels have been hit or miss. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 8:27 in the morning.
Flamingo Big schools of mullets are settling into Florida Bay. Big jack crevalles, snook, redfish, sea trout, tarpons, and sharks have been feeding on them. Unfortunately floating grass on the surface and the bottom makes it hard to fish these fish. The outside waters from East Cape north to Shark River have been very muddy due to the constant west winds. The inside waters have plenty of trout, snappers, redfish, a few snook, tarpons, and Goliath groupers to target. Bring plenty of insect repellent, the mosquitos have been bad. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 7:19 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 1:32 PM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Sept. 5-7 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southwest at 5 to 10 knots late Friday through Saturday. Sunday winds are forecasted to be out of the southeast at 5 to 10 knots. Sunday brings a full moon and possibly a big wahoo bite. The Atlantic snook season reopened on September 1st. Snook must measure between 28 and 32 inches from tip of lower jaw and tip of tail when pinched together. Each angler is allowed one person in possession day and that angler must have a saltwater fishing license with a snook stamp unless exempt from having a license.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef Look for snook to be biting on the last hour of the outgoing tides in the ocean inlets. To catch snook use large live shrimp attached to a jig head and fish that bait near the bottom. Retrieve slowly for the best results. Live baitfish will get plenty of snook as will a Flare Hawk jig bounced off the bottom. Migrating baitfish schools that are swimming down our Oceanside beaches are attracting the attention from large jack crevalles, snook, and tarpons. The offshore bite was off this week. A few kingfish, lots of bonitos, a few blackfin tuna, barracudas, and sharks were caught this past week. What action there was happened early in the day and in depths between 90 to 200 feet of water. Trolling spoons and feathers out fished live baits, mostly because you could cover more water trolling then by drifting or power fishing. Dolphin fish continue to be scattered and far offshore. West winds have pushed the western wall of the Gulf Stream 12 to 20 miles offshore and that is where the best dolphin bite had been. There has been a few blue marlin reports this past week. The marlin showed where the dolphins were. On the bottom during the daytime, vermillion and yelloweye snappers were biting. Look for these fish over artificial reefs outside of 260 feet of water. Fish chunks of squid on the bottom. Yellowtail snappers have been schooled up over natural reefs and shallow artificial reefs in depths between 80 to 110 feet of water. The yellowtails were biting day and night. Anchor and chum and then fish small baits with light weights for best results. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:53.
North Biscayne Bay Quite a few baitfish schools have moved into North Bay. Lots of small blue runners are chasing after these baitfish. When the baitfish are over grass flats, lots of sea trout and mangrove snappers are feasting on them. The NLBN jig heads and paddle tails are getting the fish. The nighttime snook and small tarpon bite has been good. Fish the lighted dock lights and bridge shadow lines for the best results. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:19.
South Bay Bonefish and permits have been biting well over the Oceanside flats south of Key Biscayne. The best bite is taking place on the last of the outgoing and first of the incoming tides. The further south you go the better the fishing has been. Use large live shrimp for the bonefish and a silver dollar size blue crab for the permits. The Finger Channels have been slow. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 8:36 in the morning.
Flamingo Rainy and windy weather has made it tough to fish the flats of Florida Bay. Constant lightning strikes and thunder have had the fish on guard and in deeper water. The channels have been the most consistent for snook, redfish and sea trout. West winds have made fishing the coast or offshore tough. The inshore waters of Whitewater and Oyster Bays have had a lot of freshwater from the recent rains. The closer you get to the Gulf the better the fishing gets. Bugs have been bad! Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 9:54 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 7:37 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Aug. 29-31 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the south to southwest at 5 to 10 knots throughout the weekend.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef Kingfish, bonitos, blackfin tuna, sailfish, wahoo, barracudas and sharks were caught this past week offshore with the best action taking place during the early morning hours. After that, the fish have taken a siesta until the very late afternoon. The best action is taking place outside the outer reef to 300 feet of water. The fish were biting offshore of the ocean inlets on the outgoing tides, over artificial wrecks and along current rips with weeds. The best daytime bite has been on the bottom. Lots of undersized mutton snappers are being caught and released. The fish were holding over rocky bottoms in depths between 100 to 150 feet of water. Over the deeper hard bottoms in depths between 400 to 600 feet of water vermilion and yelloweye snappers, plus grey tilefish were biting cut squid and bonito strips. Dolphin fishing took a turn when the winds went west. The southwest-to-south winds predicted for this weekend won’t help that fishing. Before the winds went west, the dolphin fishing was great with heavy lifters and gaffer-size dolphins being caught in numbers in 1,200 feet of water. The guys in the Middle Keys are still catching them so there is a good chance that they might still be passing us but maybe deeper than 1,200 feet of water. Closer in there might still be a few to be caught. The nighttime snapper fishing continues to be good over the reefs in 70 to 100 feet of water. It’s more yellowtails now with a mix of mutton, lane and mangrove snappers. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:18.
North Biscayne Bay Sea trout, mangrove snappers, ladyfish, jack crevalles and small barracudas have been feeding well around the scattered baitfish schools. The action takes place when a baitfish school moves over a grass flat. The NLBN jig heads and soft plastics are being torn apart when cast into a baitfish school. Snook continue to be caught and released in the ocean inlets. These fish are eating jig heads and soft plastics, live shrimp and live baitfish. At night, snappers, snook, and small tarpons are being caught under lighted dock lights and along the lighted bridge shadow lines. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:25.
South Bay Permit fishing has been excellent along the Oceanside hard bottom flats south of Key Biscayne. The water has been very calm and clear making it easy to spit the fish but also easy for the fish to see you. Live silver dollar blue crabs have been getting the permit strikes. The Finger Channels have been producing spotty catches of snappers and jacks. With water temperatures in the 90’s the action had been slow. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 8:55 in the morning.
Flamingo Light south and southwest winds will bring high temperatures but calm waters in Florida Bay. The high water will have snook, tarpons, redfish, sea trout, and sharks high up on the shallow flats of Florida Bay. Look for caking fish and possibly tailing fish to target with weedless soft plastics. Once the tide starts to fall expect these fish to move into channels and runoffs along the shallow flats. Snook continue to be caught next to some of the boundary markers and along the outside shorelines. Lots of sharks have been waiting for an opportunity to eat your catch while you fight the fish or release the fish. The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays continue to be very buggy. Snook, redfish, sea trout, snappers, and Goliath groupers are available to catch. Look for these fish along the island shorelines that have undercut ledges and a good tidal flow. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 7:51 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 5:19 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Aug. 22-24 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the west at 5 to 10 knots Friday into early Saturday then turning southwest at 5 to 10 knots late Saturday and into Sunday. There will be a new moon on Saturday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef Fishing for snook and big jack crevalles has been good in and around the ocean inlets. Large live baits have been best for these fish. Snook are also being caught in the surf and off the Oceanside piers and jetties. This is for catch and release only till the first of September. The offshore bite has been slow but fish are being caught. A few kingfish, lots of bonitos, barracudas, sharks, an occasional sailfish, blackfin tuna and wahoo. With the new moon this weekend there could be a good wahoo bite along the reef. This action is taking place in depths from 100 feet out to 300 feet of water. To catch these fish, use free-lined live baits, live baits fished under a kite, baits drifted from the side of the boat or from the stern and trolled Sea Witches tipped with a bonito strip and attached to a planer. Dolphin fish continue to play cat and mouse for dolphin fishermen. The dolphin just pop up wherever they feel like. Good looking weed lines and patches that should have fish on them are barren while a half-mile away the same good looking patches and weed lines will have a school of nice dolphins under it. The same thing goes for seeing terns working above and diving. One time there is fish the next time there doesn’t seem to be anything under the birds. It will take some patience to find the fish. Cubera snappers are spawning over some of the artificial wrecks in depths between 100 to 200 feet of water. They love live lobsters and the lobster season is open. At night yellowtail, mutton and mangrove snappers continue to make up the bulk of the reef catch. Anchor, chum, and fished cut baits with light weights for these fish. The bite is happening over the reefs in 45 to 100 feet of water. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 9:10.
North Biscayne Bay Find a bait school near a grass flat and you are almost guaranteed steady action from sea trout, mangrove snappers, barracudas, jacks and ladyfish. Cast the NLBN’s around the baitfish and you should stay in the action. At night around the lighted docks and bridge shadow lines small tarpon, snook, and snappers are being caught on live shrimp, pilchards and soft plastics. The action has been best during the outgoing tide. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 10:38.
South Bay Bonefishing has been good along the Oceanside flats of South Bay. The best action has been on the early incoming tide but this weekend with an early morning high tide, look for the bonefish to be right up on the island shorelines and high up on the flats. Water temperatures have been very hot and many of the fish that had been biting in the Finger Channels have moved further offshore. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:55 in the morning.
Flamingo With water temperatures reaching the low 90’s early in the morning it’s best to be out at first light. During the first few hours of the morning lots of small tarpons have been eating small shrimp in Snake Bight Channel. Snook have been eating the NLBN jig heads tipped with a paddle tail or shrimp soft plastic in the runoffs and along the channel edges. Redfish have been feeding over the holes up on the flats. Large snook, sea trout, redfish and permits have been feeding next to the Parks Boundary markets. Large live shrimp attached to a jig head is getting the strikes from these fish. Look for snook, tarpons and sharks at the mouths of the outside creeks and rivers. On the inside, small tarpons, lots of mosquitoes, small snook, redfish, sea trout, snappers and Goliath groupers can be targeted next to the mangrove shoreline points that are under cut and have a good tidal flow. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 11:09 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 8:40 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Aug. 15-17 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east at 5 to 10 knots throughout the weekend. Expect seas to be higher during thunderstorms in the area you are boating.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
The snook fishing in all of the ocean inlets has been outstanding. This is catch-and-release fishing. The best snook bite is happening on the outgoing tides. The snook has been eating soft plastics, jigs and live baits fished near the bottom. The catch-and-release bite for snook is also happening along the Oceanside surf as well. Lots of bonitos, a few kingfish, an occasional wahoo and blackfin tuna and a few sailfish are biting offshore. The best bite is happening from daylight till about 11 AM. Concentrate your efforts in depths of 90 to 260 feet of water, especially around artificial reefs, current edges and straight offshore of the ocean inlets. Live baits are best for these fish if you can buy or catch them. If not drift, fresh ballyhoo or Spanish sardines at different depths to help you locate the depth the fish are feeding in. Further offshore in the bluewater, dolphin fish have been biting. The dolphins have been scattered so it takes some determination to find them. Look for weed lines, weed patches that are holding bait, birds diving, or pieces of floating debris. Any of these things might be holding hungry dolphins. Over the deeper artificial reefs, a few amberjacks, large mutton snappers, groupers, and vermillion and yelloweye snappers have been biting. Cut squid works well for the smaller snappers. Large live bait is what the muttons, jacks and groupers are biting. Over rocky ledges and the natural reefs in depths from 45 to 100 feet of water, yellowtail, mutton, and mangrove snappers are being caught both day and night. Anchoring and chumming is the preferred way to get the fish hungry and behind the boat. Cut bait is what the fish are biting. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 8:03.
North Biscayne Bay
Baitfish schools have disappeared in North Bay. That makes finding the fishing more difficult. Mangrove snappers are being caught over rocky bottoms, next to pilings, and in the pot holes over the grass flats. Sea trout are scattered over the grass flats in North Bay. Casting the NLBN jig heads tipped with paddle tail soft plastics will help you locate the fish. Small tarpons, jack crevalles and snook are biting in Maule Lake, and in the Intra Coastal Waterways north of Maule Lake. At night during the outgoing tide, snook, snappers, and traps an are being caught next to lighted dock lights. Anything that resembles a live shrimp cast in the direction of the lighted water will get you a strike from these fish. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 10:19.
South Bay
Permits have been feeding on the hard bottom flats of South Bay. Look for the permits to be tailing on the last of the out going and first of the incoming tides at the mouths of the cuts that lead to the ocean. The points between the Oceanside island points that have a strong tidal flow are good places to look for these fish. Bonefishing has been good on the incoming tide along the Oceanside flats south of Soldiers Key. Have silver dollar size blue crabs for the permits and large shrimp for the bonefish. The channels have been producing lots of snapper catches and a few yellowjacks. Chumming with live baits is the best way to locate the fish. Most of these fish are too small to keep but it’s lots of rod bending action when they are biting. The NLBN’s work well in these areas. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:49 in the morning.
Flamingo
With water temperatures reaching the mid 90’s by 11 AM your best bet at getting some action in Florida Bay is to be on the water early. Once the sun gets up high the fish shut down. Snook, redfish, sea trout, and small tarpons have been biting in the Florida Bay Channels and up on top of the flats. Once the sun gets up high your best bet is to fish the boundary markers and rock piles where the water is deeper and cooler. Over these spots, large snook, redfish, tripletails, jack crevalles, Goliath groupers, cobia, and sea trout can be targeted with an assortment of baits. The waters of the backcountry are hot as well. The best bite is happening next to mangrove shorelines that have an undercut ledge. Snook, redfish, snappers, and Goliath groupers are being caught in these areas. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:47 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 6:32 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Aug. 8-10 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east at 5 to 10 knots late Friday through Saturday. Sunday winds are forecasted to pick up to 10 to 15 out of the east southeast. There will be a full moon on Saturday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
The catch and release fishing in the ocean inlets, along surf, and off the Oceanside piers has been excellent. The snook has been eating soft plastics and an assortment of live baits. The outgoing tide has been providing the best action. The offshore bite has been about the same as recent weeks. Lots of false albacore (bonitos), a few kingfish, a few blackfin tunas, a few sailfish, lots of barracudas and sharks. The bite has been happening in depths between 90 to 260 feet of. The full moon might spark a decent wahoo bite in the mornings offshore of the ocean inlets and the sewer outfalls. Dolphin fish have been scattered in the blue water of the Gulf Stream. Due to the huge amounts of sargasso weeds that continue to pass by our coast, it’s very difficult to figure out which patch or line of grass to fish. Look for life under the grass and birds hovering in one area for a few moments. This might be where the fish are. When the currents are fishable, vermillion and yelloweye snappers are feeding over the sand next to artificial wrecks in depths outside of 200 feet of water. Cut bait is getting these snappers. Big mutton snappers and yellowtails are being caught over hard bottom in depths from 80 to 120 feet of water. Live ballyhoos are getting the muttons and cut bait is getting the yellowtails. At night the yellowtail, mutton, and mangrove snappers have been biting over the natural reefs and the wrecks inside of 120 feet of water. Cut ballyhoo, Spanish sardines, and squid is what these bottom fish are eating. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will are be at 9:10 PM.
North Biscayne Bay
Baitfish have move deeper water and only jacks and small barracudas are feeding on them. Sea trout and snappers are scattered along the drop offs of the grass flats in North Bay. The NLBNs jig heads tipped with a 3” paddle tail continues to catch plenty of fish. Cast that artificial, let it sink for a few seconds and start a slow retrieve back to the boat. If the fish are there you will know right away. Snook and tarpons are biting at night on the outgoing tides. Look for these catch and release fish under lighted dock lights and along the bay bridges. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 10:30 AM.
South Bay
Bonefish and permits have been biting well on the Oceanside flats south of Soldier’s Key. The flat calm mornings have made spotting waking and tailing fish easy. Make a soft cast with a large shrimp to a bonefish and wait for that tap to let you know the fish has eaten the bait. Once hooked keep your rod tip up high to keep your line from getting fowled with the soft corals and sea fans. The permits love a silver dollar size blue crabs. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:47 in the morning.
Flamingo
As the water flows off the flats of Florida Bay expect snook, small tarpons, sea trout, and redfish to be waiting to ambush any baitfish, crab, shrimp that drops into the channel. Cast a 3/8 ounce Hookup lure jig head tipped with a Gulp shrimp along the edge of the flat or into the runoffs. Bounce that bait up and down off the bottom and you should have steady action till the flats flood. The shorelines from East Cape canal north to Lostman’s River have had plenty of snook to target. A live pinfish cast up towards the beach won’t last long when a snook sees it. Keep an eye out for the bull sharks and lemon sharks though. If you don’t land that fish quick the sharks will make an easy meal of it. The backcountry has been buggy but worth fishing for tarpons, snook, snappers, sea trout, Goliath groupers and redfish. Look for these fish to feeding next to the islands that have a good tidal flow and maybe some baitfish nearby. The NLBN’s work well on the points. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 10:51 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 8:39 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Aug. 1-3 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southeast at 5 to 10 knots late Friday through Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
If you own a boat or knew someone who owns one, then you probably participated in the lobster mini season and came back with your limit. The offshore bite was slow due to a lack of fishing reports and the high temperatures. Just outside the outer reef, a few kingfish, bonitos, small blackfin tuna and an occasional wahoo and sailfish being caught. These fish were scattered up and down the coast with more action taking place outside the ocean inlets, especially on the outgoing tides. Dolphins were being caught in depths from 600 feet of water out to way over 1,000 feet of water. Sargasso weeds are everywhere most days. To find the fish you need to find life under the weeds or spot diving terns that are feeding on small baitfish that the dolphins are chasing. On the bottom during the daytime a few large mutton snappers are being caught on live ballyhoos. The muttons are biting over hard bottoms in depths from 100 to 200 feet of water. At night mangrove, yellowtail, and mutton snappers continue to keep bottom fishermen busy. The reefs between 40 to 90 feet of water have been producing the best action. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 9:03.
North Biscayne Bay
North Bay fishing has been red hot! Sea trout are plentiful but mangrove snappers are even more plentiful. These fish are mostly under the legal size limits but still fun to catch, especially on artificial baits. The sea trout and snappers are shadowing baitfish schools. Look for the diving terns to help you locate where the baitfish schools and the fish are. One artificial bait that is catching a lot of fish is the NLBN jig heads tipped with a 3” paddle tail. Cast this near the baitfish schools and retrieve steady and the bites will come. Snook have been plentiful in the ocean inlets both day and night. These fish can be targeted for catch and release only. Large live shrimp, pinfish, and pilchards fished near the bottom has been getting the strikes. At night snook and medium size tarpons are being caught under lighted dock lights and along the shadow lines of the bay bridges. Large live shrimp get plenty of strikes from these fish. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 11:12.
South Bay
Flats fishermen have been having a field day right fishing bonefish and permits with the slick calm flats. An outgoing tide this weekend in the morning will have the fish tailing a few hundred yards offshore of the Oceanside flats. The Elliot Key flat has been a hot spot. The Finger Channels have been loaded with small yellowjacks, under size snappers, big barracudas, and lots of big needlefish. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 10:42 in the morning.
Flamingo
With water temperatures close to 90 degrees first thing in the morning, fishing Florida Bay has been a challenge. Your best shot for snook and redfish on the flats is eating the morning. After that the fish have been slow to attack a bait. East Cape, Middle Cape, and the creek and river mouths have been producing good snook action. Live pinfish have been getting the strikes. The inside waters have been only fair. The bugs are bad but the Goliath groupers have been hungry. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 9:38 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 7:48 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
July 25-27 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east at 15 to 20 knots late Friday. Saturday through Sunday winds a forecasted to be out of the east at 10 to 15 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Tarpon and snook continue to provide decent catch and release action in all of the ocean inlets. The best bite has been on the outgoing tides and the fish harvesting large live shrimp, pinfish and threadfin herrings. The offshore bite has been hit or miss. Along the outer reef, kingfish to 15 pounds, bonitos, a few blackfin tuna, an occasional sailfish, and a few wahoo were biting in the mornings when water temperatures were cool. Later in the day with outside temperatures getting into the mid 90’s the fish have stopped biting or have moved deeper into the water column where water temperatures were cooler. The best bit was happening in depths between 90 to 260 feet of water. The fish have been spread out in these depths. Live baits, fresh frozen baits, and trolled Sea Witches was producing the best action. Mahi have been scattered inside of 600 feet of water and schooled up outside of 1000 feet of water. Tons of Sargasso weeds have been offshore but not all of the weeds have fish under them. Look for birds and baitfish under patches to help you locate the fish. During the daytime, over some of the artificial wrecks, amberjacks, almoco jacks, vermillion snappers, yellow eye snappers, and a few mutton snappers was biting live baits and squid. The nighttime reef fishing continues to be good for snappers. Instead of mostly mangrove snappers being caught, now we are seeing more mutton and yellowtail snappers. The bite is happening over the reefs in 60 to 100 feet of water. Chunks of Spanish sardines, ballyhoo, and strips of squid will get the bottom bites. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 10:17.
North Biscayne Bay
Sea trout, mangrove snappers, jack crevalles, and small barracudas have been biting along the edges of the grass flats in north Bay. Start your drifts along the edges of the flats and then drift up in the flats as you scatter cast NLBN’s jig heads and 3” paddle tail or shrimp soft plastics. Once you start catching anchor and enjoy the bite. The flats between 79th street and the Venetian Causeway on the east and west sides have had pockets of fish. At night along the bay bridge shadow lines and under lighted docks, snook, tarpons, and snappers have been taking large live shrimp and shrimp artificials. The best action is taking place on the outgoing tides. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 5:46.
South Bay
Bonefishing has been very good, especially during the early mornings when the flats have been slick and calm. Tailing bonefish at times can be seen along the Oceanside flats south of the Ragged Keys. Permits have been feeding along the Oceanside island points on the outgoing tides. The permits have been eating small crabs and the bonefish large shrimp. Lots of under sized mangrove snappers are being caught in the Finger Channels. Anchoring and chumming with live pilchards and frozen chum is the best way to get the fish close to the boat. The snappers are eating shrimp and pilchards. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 11:00 in the morning.
Flamingo
The flats in Florida Bay have had hungry large tarpons that are feeding on mullet schools. Snook, redfish, jack crevalles, and sea trout are up on these flats looking for finger mullets schools that have been in this area. Look for diving pelicans and muddy water to help you locate the action. Almost everywhere, loads of small mangrove snappers can be found. There are some 14 inchers mixed in with the small snappers but the small ones onus lots of catfish get to your baits first. Along the coast, snook have been feeding on the finger mullet schools. The bugs are so bad in the backcountry that not many fishermen are chancing it. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 5:33 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 9:40 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
July 18-20 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east at 15 to 20 knots late Friday. Saturday winds are forecasted to be east at 10 to 15 knots and Sunday east at 5 to 10 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Snook fishing for catch and release continues to be excellent in the ocean inlets and along the beaches. A large live shrimp, pinfish, or small blue runner fished free lined or with enough leaf weight to get the bait near the bottom makes for a great ring to catch a snook. The offshore bite has been hit and miss all week. The best bite has been from sunup til 10 AM. Along the outer reef 90 feet of water out to 260 feet of water has produced spotty catches of kingfish, bonitos, blackfin tuna, wahoo, and lots of sharks and barracudas. Trolling Sea Witches tipped with a strip of bonito along the reef in a zig-zag pattern will get you the strikes. Live bait fishing, either free lining or fishing the baits under a kite will also get you strikes. Dolphin fish are still being caught but the bulk of the action is taking place way offshore. Frank Randazzo of Miami trolled plastic squids over some of the artificial wrecks in 150 to 250 feet of water offshore of Haulover Inlet and had steady blackfin tuna action. A few small dolphins continue to be caught inside of 1,000 feet of water but the bigger fish and bigger schools of dolphins are being found outside of 2,500 feet of water. Look for the birds to help you locate where the dolphin schools are. During the daytime, over artificial wrecks in depths over 300 feet of water, vermillion and yellow eye snappers are biting cut squid. The shallower wrecks are producing catches of amberjacks, almoco jacks, mutton snappers, groupers, and lots of sharks. At night the mangrove snapper spawn continues over the natural reefs in depths from 40 to 100 feet of water. Anchoring over an area of the reef that shows signs of life and chumming is the preferred way to target these snappers. Fishing cut bait with light weights often is the best way to catch the bigger snappers. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 9:26.
North Biscayne Bay
The sea trout fishing continues to be good in North Bay. Mixed in with the trout have been mangrove snappers. One way to locate the fish is to slow-troll a 1/4 ounce NLBN jig head tipped with a 3” paddle tail soft plastic. Work the deeper edges of the flats and when you pass a group of fish strikes will follow. After that you can fan cast the area and continue to catch fish. At night, snook and small tarpons can be targeted along the lighted dock lights and bridge shadow lines. Live shrimp, pilchards, pinfish and soft plastics that resemble these baitfish cast along the lighted edges will get you the strikes. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 11:41.
South Bay
Permits, bonefish, and small to medium size tarpons are being caught along the Oceanside flats south of Soldiers Key. Look for the bonefish on the incoming tides, the permits on the outgoing tides, and the tarpons on the high tides. Shrimp for the bonefish, silver dollar size blue crabs for the permits, and baitfish imitations for the tarpons. The Finger Channels have had lots of undersize mangrove snappers and plenty of jacks for rod bending action. Live shrimp and pilchards make good baits for these fish. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 11:11 in the morning.
Flamingo
An early morning incoming tide in Florida Bay will have most of the reds, snook, sea trout, and tarpons feeding high up on the flats. Soft plastics rigged weedless and cast into the potholes often will get you an instinct strike. Along the edges of the channels and over the deer grass flats, sea trout, mangrove snappers, jack crevalles, ladyfish, and sharks will provide you with plenty of action. Use a chunk of ladyfish or pinfish to catch these fish. Snook are spawning g and can be targeted for catch and release. These big breeders along with the smaller males will be schooled up over rock piles, markers, at the mouths of the canal and creek mouths and along the beaches. A live pinfish is a great bait for these fish. Lots of sharks will be in the same areas looking for an easy meal. If you had thoughts about fishing in the backcountry, then come prepared. Mosquitoes, horseflies, and deer flies have been plentiful and they can make fishing your favorite spots almost impossible. Bring plenty of bug spay and dress accordingly if this is where you decide to fish. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 10:23 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 8:19 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
July 11-13 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southeast at 5 to 10 knots late Friday. Saturday through Sunday winds are forecasted to be out of the south at 5 to 10 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
During the week of the full moon, wahoo, kingfish, and sailfish were biting during the morning hours. Now with the moon behind us the wahoo and kings have become a bit more picky. The wahoo, kingfish, and sailfish were feeding just outside the outer reef in depths between 90 to 200 feet of water. Trolling pink and blue Sea Witches was getting the wahoo and kings. Fishing large live baits under a kite was getting the sailfish. Plenty of sharks, barracudas, bonitos, and a few blackfin tuna were being caught in the same depths of water as the kings and wahoo. Dolphin fish were once again scattered offshore. Small dolphins scare being caught along broken weedlines and from under feeding terns. Most of these fish were too small to keep. Some of the bigger dolphins were being caught outside of 1,500 feet of water. On the bottom black bellied rose fish were biting in 8 to 900 feet of water. Over the wrecks amberjacks, mutton snappers, and a few groupers were caught on ballyhoos, bonito strips, and live pinfish. At night the mangrove snapper bite continues to be good over the reefs in depths from 40 to 100 feet of water. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 10:19.
North Biscayne Bay
Sea trout fishing has been very good in the bay. Find some mudding mullet schools and the trout will be right there under the mullets. Hit the edges of the shallow flats with live baits and NLBN jig heads tipped with a 3” paddle tail soft plastic. Lots of mangrove snappers are mixed in with the sea trout. The nighttime tarpon action has been fair in the ocean inlets. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 5:41.
South Bay
High water over the shallow flats of South Bay will have the bonefish and permits feeding in the shallowest parts of the Oceanside flats, the flats west of the ocean and the mainland flats south of Dinner Key. Large live shrimp will get the bonefish and a silver dollar size blue crab works on the permits. A few medium size tarpons are working the Oceanside flats south of the Ragged Keys. Soft plastics will get these small tarpons. The Finger Channels are loaded with small mangrove snappers, jack crevalles, and yellowjacks. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 10:53 in the morning.
Flamingo
Before you get out of your vehicle at the boat ramps have a can of insect repellent ready. The mosquitoes, deer flies, and horse flies are out of control at the boat ramps. Once you get into Florida Bay most of the bugs will leave you alone. The pot holes up on the flats of Florida Bay have been producing nice catches of redfish, snook, and sea trout. Along the mainland shorelines on the higher stages of the tides and on days when the wind hasn’t been blowing, redfish and snook can be caught with live baits fished under a Cajun Thunder floats. Almost every Florida Bay channel is loaded with small to medium size mangrove snappers and sea trout. These fish have been eating jig heads tipped with a soft plastic and chunks of pinfish fished under a Cajun Thunder float. The bugs are so bad in the backcountry that you might want to rethink fishing there. If you do go back there, stay down wind of the islands or you will get swarmed by the bugs.
High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 5:43 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 9:37 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
July 4-6 Report NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the south late Friday and Saturday at 5 to 10 knots. Sunday winds are forecasted to be out of the east at 10 knots. This forecast might change depending on what that tropical low in the Gulf does.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
If you like snook fishing then hit the ocean inlets with a live well of frisky pinfish and extra large shrimp and pilchards. Snook has been big and hungry and feeding best on the outgoing tides. The daytime bite continues to be sporadic. At times large kingfish have been caught in decent numbers and then at times impossible to find. Bonitos have been plentiful, blackfin tunas less than a few weeks ago but still are being caught. Sailfish have been biting and dolphin fish are worth targeting. The kingfish, bonitos, blackfin tuna, and sailfish are biting live and dead baits in depths between 100 and 300 feet of water. The bite near the surface is best early and late in the day and then tapers off but continues deeper in the water column. Dolphin fish have been caught this week in depths from 800 to 1000 feet of water. Most of the fish care small but there are a few big enough to keep. Look for the birds and life under weed patches for the best action. The daytime bottom fishing has been good when the current is moving but not off the charts. Mutton snappers are biting over wrecks and rock pines in depths between 100 and 140 feet of water. Live baits fished on long leaders is getting the most strikes. The deeper wrecks are producing amberjacks and a few groupers. Live pinfish are getting the strikes. Mangrove snappers are spawning over the natural reefs offshore. Each fishermen is allowed five legal mangrove snappers per person. Look for these snappers in depths between 40 to 100 feet of water. Anchoring and chumming while fishing chunks of cut baits is a good way to catch a legal limit of mangroves. Mutton and yellowtail snappers plus bluerunners, and grunts are biting over the reefs as well. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 10:44.
North Biscayne Bay
A few schools of small baitfish have been located over some of the grass flats in North Bay. Find these baitfish schools and large sea trout, jack crevalles, barracudas, and mangrove snappers will be shadowing these baitfish. The NLBN jig heads and 3” paddle tail soft plastics have worked well on these fish. Lots of jack crevalles are roaming the bay. The nighttime catch and release snook and tarpon bite has been fair at night. Look for these fish along the bay bridge shadow lines and under lighted dock lights. Large live shrimp and shrimp imitation artificials work well on these fish. The best bite has been on the outgoing tide. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 5:58.
South Bay
Bonefish, permits, sharks and barracudas have been biting on the last hour of the outgoing and first few hours of the incoming tides. Look for these fish from the Oceanside of Key Biscayne south to Ocean Reef. You might find similar action along the flats from Dinner Key to Card Sound road. Live shrimp work well for the bonefish, silver dollar size blue crabs are good the permits, and for the sharks and barracudas use a fresh ballyhoo. The Finger Channels are loaded with small mangrove snappers and jack crevalles. These fish are eating live pilchards and shrimp. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 5:15 in the morning.
Flamingo
If you have a shallow water skiff and poke your way up on the flats of Florida Bay, snook, redfish, sea trout, and tarpon can be sight fished with weedless soft plastics. In the channels, jack crevalles, a few snook and small permits can be caught online shrimp and a Cajun Thunder float. Over the grass flats that have a good tidal flow, large sea trout, mangrove snappers, ladyfish, and jack crevalles are eating live shrimps fished under a Cajun Thunder float. Snook are staging along the beaches and can be caught on live pinfish. The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays are very buggy but have been producing small tarpons, redfish, Goliath groupers, snook, and sea trout. Hit the island points for the best action. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:40 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 9:40 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
June 27-29 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east to southeast at 5 to 10 knots throughout the weekend. Hopefully that forecast will hold.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Tarpon continue to bite at night in the ocean inlets. Live mullets have been one of the top baits for the tarpons. The offshore bite has been up and down all week. King mackerel fishing g slowed this past week. Bonitos are showing up in higher numbers. Blackfin tuna and sailfish were scattered offshore and dolphin fish unreliable. Trolling two and half inch silver drone spoons near the surface and deeper in the water column will let you cover a lot of water giving you more opportunities at kingfish, bonitos, tuna, and wahoo. Zig zagging between 100 and 200 feet of water while trolling lets you locate the fish quicker then drifting baits. Free line bait fishing in these depths and flying kites with live baits under the kites is also catching fish. Sailfish are being caught more from the kite baits then the free lined baits. Drifting fresh ballyhoo and Spanish sardines through these depths has produced strikes as well. The best bite has been early and late in the day. If dolphin fish is what you are hoping to catch then get into the blue water and start looking for birds. Most of the dolphins this week were under birds. Big amberjacks, a few large mutton snappers, and gag, black, and red groupers are being caught over artificial reefs in 100 to 260 feet of water. A live pilchard, pinfish, goggle eye, or threadfin herring fished near the bottom is your best bet on these bottom feeders. The nighttime reef fishing continues to get better. More mangrove snappers are joining the yellowtail and mutton snappers on parts of the reefs. Anchoring while chumming in depths between 40 to 100 feet of water is the best way to get these cagey snappers to bite your cut bait. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 11:24.
North Biscayne Bay
Sea trout and mangrove snappers are being caught early in the day over the grass flats in North Bay. Casting the NLBN jig heads tipped with a 3” paddle tail over the grass flats and into the sandy holes is getting lots of strikes and a few fish. Anchoring and chumming over the flats where there is a good tidal flow often will bring the fish to the back of the boat. Once they show up cast live shrimp or pilchards to them. The nighttime snook and tarpon bite has been best during the late hours of the night. Look for these fish under lighted dock and along the bridge shadow lines. Live shrimp is what these fish are looking for. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 6:58.
South Bay
Bonefish and permits have been biting along the Oceanside flats between Soldiers Key and Ocean Reef. The best bite is happening early and late in the day during the first few hours of the incoming tides. Look for the permits over hard bottom flats and the bonefish over soft bottom flats. Use a live shrimp for the bonefish and a silver dollar size blue crab for the permits. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 6:28 in the morning.
Flamingo
The waters west of the marina keep getting beat up by the high winds that we keep having. The waters east of the marina have been clear and producing better action. The flats of Florida Bay have produced good sight fishing action from snook, redfish and tarpons. Use weedless soft plastics for these fish. The channels in between the flats are also producing fish. Sea trout are biting over the grass flats that have three to four feet of water. Lots of mangrove snappers, most small but some legal are biting over these deeper flats. Snook are staging along the creek and canal points. A live pinfish often will get you the strikes from these snook. The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays have been buggy but worthwhile to fish. Snook, sea trout, snappers, and Goliath groupers are being caught along the mangrove shorelines. Hit the island points, downed trees, and shoreline es that have under cut ledges. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:46 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 10:43 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
June 20-22 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east at 10 to 15 knots through Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Snook fishing has been pretty good on the outgoing tides in the ocean inlets and along the Oceanside beaches. The snook has been eating live pinfish. Snook season is closed but they can be targeted for catch and release. The offshore fishing has provided action from kingfish to 30 pounds, bonitos, barracudas, blackfin tuna, sailfish, and Mahi. Most of the action is taking place in depths between 100 to 240 feet of water. Live baits are getting most of the strikes especially when fished under a kite. Mahi have been scattered offshore. The big weed lines have been unpredictable. One day nice lines can be found inside of 1000 feet of water and then the next day you can barely find a piece of floating grass in the blue water. If you’re looking for Mahi then cast at every turtle you see. There have been mating groups of turtles that have had Mahi under them. Over the wrecks, large mutton snappers, amberjacks, and groupers have been eating live pinfish fished on the bottom with a long leader. The nighttime reef fishing has been getting better every night. More mangrove snappers are being caught each night as that snappers spawning season gets underway. Look for these snappers over the natural reefs in depths between 40 and 100 feet of water. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 10:49.
North Biscayne Bay
Sea trout continue to provide steady action in the bay. The trout have been feeding under schools of mullets that have been up on many of the grass flats. Look for the muddy water that the mullets create as they filter food out of the bottom. Cast the NLBN’s with the paddle tails for the trout. Mangrove snappers, jack crevalles, barracudas, snook, and tarpons are mixed in with the trout. The nighttime snook and tarpon action has been fair in the bay. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 6:18.
South Bay
The Finger Channels have been keeping fisherman busy with rid bending action from small snappers, grunts, porgies, barracudas, sharks, and an assortment of jacks. Live pilchards or shrimp has been getting the strikes. Bonefish have been feeding along both sides of South Bay. The best action has been early in the mornings and late in the afternoons. Permits have been feeding along the Oceanside island points on the outgoing tides. The permits are looking for small crabs to eat and the novelist a nice sized shrimp. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 5:35 in the morning.
Flamingo
An early morning incoming tide in Florida Bay will have snook, tarpons, redfish, and sea trout feeding in the run offs as they wait for theater to rise enough so they can work themselves up on the flats. The NLBN 3” paddle tails work well on these fish. Look for the same fish along the island shorelines. Sea trout, mangrove snappers, ladyfish, and jack crevalles have been feeding in the mullet muds near Conchie Channel, Sandy Key and the banks south and east of Sandy Key. Chunks of pinfish fished under a Cajun Thunder float is deadly on these fish. Snook and sharks can be found in the creek, canal, and river mouths along the coast. A live pinfish fished on a jig head will get you snook bite and the snook will get you the shark! The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater bays have had plenty of Goliath groupers to target. The groupers are hiding under the under cut ledges of many of the islands and a well placed cast of a live bait or artificial bait will get these hard fighting fish to attack your offering. Have done insect repellent with you. The bugs have been bad. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:56 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 9:54 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
June 13-15 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southeast at 15 to 20 knots throughout the weekend.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
With the recent rains and hit temperatures the offshore bite has been hit or miss. Green water out to 400 feet of water, lots of floating sargasso weeds, and a very strong north current didn’t help the fishing. If you’re heading out this weekend, here’s what was biting this past week. Kingfish in the 10 to 20 pound range were scattered along the outer reef. The best kingfish bite was happening in depths between 100 and 200 feet of water. Trolling pink Sea Witches had been the best way to catch the kings but, with the floating sargasso weeds it was tough to keep your baits clean and trolling right. So, drifting live baits free lined or from under a kite or fishing ballyhoo or Spanish sardines attached to a three hook rig with a little weight was an easier way to get the bites. With an east wind, start your drifts in 200 feet of water and then let the boat drift in. Pay attention to the depth that the strikes are coming. A few bonitos, barracudas, and sailfish are feeding in the same depths as the kings. A few large blackfin tunas are still being caught with most of the tunas coming off artificial wrecks. Sargasso weed lines have broken up one day and solid the next. If you are looking for Mather make sure you are in blue water before you start looking for fish or surface activity. On Monday my son and I found mahi in 600 feet of water under small patches of weed. We also had a 50 pound sailfish in that depth of water. We came across three turtles mating and found dolphins under the turtles. Bottom fishing was tough due to the strong currents. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 11:21.
North Biscayne Bay
Early in the week, large schools of silver mullets were located over the shallow flats near 79th street. Large sea trout, sharks, barracudas and jack crevalles were feeding on or under the mullet schools. The NLBN jig heads and soft paddle tails were getting plenty of strikes. Drop a chum block into the water and if you are near some hard bottom or the edge of a flat, chances are real good mangrove snappers will be all over that chum. Once the snappers are visible you can feed them a shrimp or chunk of bait and catch plenty. The nighttime tarpon and snook bite was best during the wee hours of the morning. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 6:01.
South Bay
The early morning incoming tide this weekend will have plenty of bonefish and barracudas looking for something to eat. Look for the bonefish to be feeding along the shallow flats along Elliot Key. Anchoring and chumming in any of the Finger Channels should get you some good action from snappers and jacks. Live shrimp and pilchards fished near the bottom is the best way to get these fish. The inside waters of Whitewater and Ouster Bays have been providing good action from small tarpons, sea trout, snook, mangrove snappers, jacks, ladyfish, and Goliath groupers. The NLBN’s have been killing the fish. Don’t forget the insect repellent. The bugs have been chewing in the backcountry. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 5:31 in the morning.
Flamingo
An early morning outgoing tide in Florida Bay will have the snook, redfish, tarpons, and sea trout working the island shorelines and the edges of the flats as they ambush small baitfish and shrimp. The many flats east and south of Sandy Key have been loaded with sea trout, mangrove snappers, jacks, and ladyfish. Live shrimp, pilchard, or small pinfish won’t last long if fished under a Cajun Thunder float or hooked to a jig head. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:52 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 10:26 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
June 6-8 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
After a stormy start to the week, let’s hope the weekend forecast holds steady. According to NOAA Weather, winds are expected to be out of the southeast at 5 to 10 knots throughout the weekend.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Snook season officially closed on June 1st on the Atlantic coast. Catch and release snook fishing is allowed but it’s important to make sure the fishing healthy before releasing. Snook are biting in the ocean inlets, along the jetties and in the Oceanside surf. Live shrimp, live baitfish, and soft plastics are all producing good results. Before the bad weather rolled in the offshore bite was productive, with action on kingfish, bonitos, blackfin tunas, and dolphin fish. A few sailfish and wahoo were also reported. Kingfish, ranging from 7 to 25 pounds, were scattered along the beaches. Trolling g Sea Witches tipped with a bonito strip or mullet strip deep in the water column helped you cover ground and increased your chances of connecting with kingfish schools. Drift fishing with live baits and fresh dead baits also produced kingfish, bonitos and blackfin tunas. The best action was found in 100 to 200 feet of water. Sailfish were being caught by kite fishermen targeting current rips in depths between 100 to 300 feet of water. Gag, black, and red groupers, plus large mutton snappers, and amberjacks were biting over artificial reefs and hard bottom in depths between 100 and 240 feet of water. A live pinfish fished on the bottom with a 20’ leader is how these fish are being caught. Yellowtail snappers are being caught day and night over rocky bottoms in 40 to 100 feet of water. Anchor, chum, and fish small baits with the smallest weight it takes to slowly get your bait to the bottom is getting the bigger yellowtails. High tide at Government Cut Friday late afternoon will be at 6:25PM.
North Biscayne Bay
Lots of rain water was dumped into the bay from the clouds and then through the canal systems that lead to the salinity dams. With so much freshwater now in the bay, I would expect the best sea trout, snapper, jacks, and snook action to be on the east side of the bay. The nighttime snook and medium size tarpon bite has been good late at night. Soft plastics and live shrimp have been getting the most bites. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 7:38.
South Bay
Bonefishing should snap back this weekend with the forecasted lighter winds. High water in the morning will have the bonefish high up on the flats. Look for waking and mudding bonefish for most of the morning. The top of the flats from Soldiers Key south to the Ragged Keys should have fish to target. Lots of mangrove snappers are in the channels. Anchoring and chumming is the best way to get them close to the boat. You will have to catch a bunch to get a five mangrove snapper limit. Most will be under 12”. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 6:55 in the morning.
Flamingo
I love a low tide in the morning in Florida Bay. Look for redfish, snook, sea trout, jack crevalles, and tarpons along the edges of the shallow flats. A live pinfish cast up to the edges of the flats should get you the strikes. Sea trout in the 17 to 20 inch size have been biting very good over the grass flats south and east of Sandy Key. A chunk of pinfish or ladyfish fished on a jig head or from under a Cajun Thunder float will keep your rods bent till you limit out. Snook and sharks are being encountered along the shorelines from East Cape north to the Harney River. A live pinfish is the bait of choice. Lots of threadfin herring schools are scattered along the coast. The inside waters of Whitewater and Oyster Bays are providing obeying action from small snook, sea trout, Goliath groupers, jack crevalles, and ladyfish. The island points continue to produce the most fish. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:23 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 6:03 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
May 29 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the south at 5 to 10 knots early in the evening then picking up to 15 knots. Saturday and Sunday winds will be 10 to 15 out of the southeast.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Snook are making their move from the inside waters out to the Oceanside beaches and inlets. The Atlantic South region snook season closes June 1st and won’t reopen till October 1st. Offshore fishing has been pretty good with lots of kingfish in the 8 to 15 pound range being caught. The kings have been biting live baits, dead baits and artificials. Fishing in depths from 80 feet out to 240 feet of water is your best bet if looking for the kingfish. The kingfish have been schooled up straight outside the ocean inlets, around the sewer outfalls, and over artificial reefs. Trolling feathers, rigged ballyhoos, and Sea Witches tipped with a strip of mullet or bonito lets you cover lots of water and is getting a lot of the strikes. As the day wears on the kings move closer to the bottom where it is cooler but continue to feed. Mixed in with the kings have been bonitos, blackfin tunas, and barracuda. Mahi have been feeding along the weed lines that have life under and near them. Head offshore till you reach 600 or 700 feet of water before looking for fish. Daytime bottom fishing continues to produce a nice mixed bag of mutton snappers, groupers, vermillion and yelloweye snappers, genuine red snappers and amberjacks. For these fish use live baitfish, squid, and strips of bonito. Nighttime reef fishing has been good for yellowtail and mutton snappers. The deeper reefs are producing better when there is a nice current running with the wind. Low tide at Government Cut Friday will be at 5:53 late afternoon.
North Biscayne Bay
Bay waters are heating up fast so getting out early is the key to having any success. The grass flats in 36 th Street area have been providing steady early morning action from sea trout and mangrove snappers. A Cajun Thunder float with a live small pinfish or pilchard will get you some nice fish. You can also cast the NLBN’s which cover a lot of water and produce plenty of fish. Nighttime snook and small tarpon are biting during the outgoing tides. The best action is happening late at night. A live free lined shrimp cast under a lighted dock or under a bay bridge is a good way to get these fish. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:14.
South Bay
Calm mornings and calm late afternoons will give you plenty of opportunities at tailing bonefish. Expect the bones to be feeding as the tide starts coming in. Look for permits on the Oceanside island hard bottom points on the outgoing tides. Have both crabs and shrimp in your well for these fish. Lots of mangrove snappers can be chummed to the boat in the Finger Channels south of Key Biscayne. Measure these snappers before you put them in your cooler. Mangrove snappers must be 12” from tip of nose to end of tail in Biscayne National Park. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:44 in the morning.
Flamingo
High water in Florida Bay first thing in the morning will have the snook, redfish, sea trout, and tarpons up on the flats till the tide start to push them off. Snook, redfish, sea trout and tripletails have been feeding along the blues downed trees along the coast. A small chunk of ladyfish fished under a float works well on these fish. Lots of mangrove snappers and sea trout have been biting over the deeper grass flats east and south of Sandy Key. A chunk of pinfish fished in the bottom or under a float will keep you busy. The backcountry of Whitewater and Oyster Bays are loaded with small mangrove snappers, Goliath groupers, sea trout, jacks, snook, and ladyfish. A Gulp shrimp on a jig head, a BLBN jig head with a 3” soft plastic and top water baits all produced onset of action for my son and I this past week. We targeted island points that had wind and tidal flows. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:05 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 6:22 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
May 23-25 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east to southeast at 5 to 10 knots through the weekend.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Summer like conditions have set in along the South Florida coast. Much earlier than one would have expected in late May. Kingfish to 30 pounds, blackfin tuna to 30 pounds, wahoo, bonitos, barracudas, sailfish, and dolphin fish have all been caught from just outside the outer reef out to 300 feet of water. Because of the high temperatures, acquiring quality live baits has become much more difficult. If live baits are not part of your arsenal, then here are a few tips on catching a few fish offshore. Get out early! Drift fresh ballyhoos or Spanish sardines from the side of your boat or from the stern. You can fish these baits with no weight added or add an ounce of lead to get the baits deeper. As the sun heats up the surface the fish have been feeding deeper in the water column. Flying a kite with a frisky live bait under it increases your chances of catching the larger kings, sailfish, and wahoo. Trolling Sea Witches tipped with a strip of bonito deep with the help of a planer will get your baits deeper in the water column. This technique also allows you to cover more water. Weed lines have been sliding by our coast all month. Find the weed lines that have some life under and above it for the best opportunities at catching some mahi. On the bottom over artificial reefs and wrecks, large mutton snappers, groupers, and amberjacks are eating live pinfish. At night on the calmer nights yellowtail, mutton, and mangrove snappers are taking cut bait fished from an anchored boat. Hit the reefs in 60 to 100 feet of water. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 6:26.
North Biscayne Bay
A lack of quality live baits had made fishing in the bay more challenging. Sea trout can easily be caught using a live shrimp or pilchard fished u see a Cajun Thunder float. The trout have been scattered along the edges of the grass flats. Casting the NLBN jig heads and paddle tail soft plastics is getting the trout bites for those interested in using artificial baits. Lots of mangrove snappers are showing up on the flats and over rocky bottoms in the bay. The night tarpon and snook bite has been fair. Look for these fish to be most cooperative late in the night when boat traffic settles down. Dock lights and bridge shadow lines is where these fish will be. A live shrimp works well on these fish. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 7:46.
South Bay
High water in the morning in South Bay will allow bonefish and permits to get high up on the shallow flats of South Bay. Along the Oceanside island shorelines of South Bay and along the mainland shorelines look for tailing and cruising bones and permits and maybe a small tarpon or two. The flats south of Soldiers and the mainland flats south of Dinner Key are normal the most productive. Live crabs are great for the permits, large shrimp for the bones, abs a shiny green back soft plastic that resembles a pilchard might get that tarpon to bite. The Finger Channels have been productive for barracudas, small mangrove snappers, and jacks. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:03 in the morning.
Flamingo
I love a low tide in Florida Bay everyday. Low water pushes the predators off the flats and into the channels. Hit the edges of the channels with a jig head and soft plastic . A live pinfish on a jig head or under a Cajun Thunder float work well in these areas for snook, redfish, sea trout, and tarpons. Sea trout and snappers are biting out over the banks south and east of Sandy Key. A chunk of pinfish will get you the bigger fish. Along the coast snook and tripletails are eating small pinfish. The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays have had some redfish, snook, and sea trout feeding along the island points that have a good tidal flow. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:33 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 6:13 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
May 16-18 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southeast at 5 to 10 knots early in the weekend and then increasing to 15 to 20 knots by Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Tarpons in the 30- to 60-pound range continue to feed mostly at night on live crabs in and around the ocean inlets. Large jack crevalles and snook are being caught in the inlets on live mullets. The offshore bite continues to be good for blackfin tuna, sailfish, kingfish, bonitos and dolphin fish. The sailfish, large blackfin tuna and dolphin fish are being caught while fishing frisky live baits under a kite or by free-lining the baits behind or from the side of your boat. Kingfish are being caught while trolling Sea Witches and drone spoons attached to a planer to get the baits deep. The sails, dolphins, kingfish, bonitos and large blackfin tunas are being caught from the outer reef out to 260 feet of water. Further offshore, beautiful weed-lines continue to slide by our coast. Not all of the weed lines are holding dolphins. If you don’t see the bait, small jacks, or birds along a weed line head to the next one till you find the fish. On the bottom during the daytime, vermillion, yellow eye snappers, red snappers, groupers and jacks are being caught. Live pinfish, pilchards and squid are getting the bites. The night reef bite has been good for yellowtail, mangrove and mutton snappers. Fishing over rocky bottom in 60 to 100 feet of water while chumming is how most bottom fishermen target these snappers. Low tide at Government Cut Friday late afternoon will be at 5:24.
North Biscayne Bay
Schools of mullets in the bay are being trashed by big jack crevalles, sharks and snook. Check out the waters around Maule Lake and Greynolds Park. Mangrove snappers are schooled up over a rocky bottom in Biscayne Bay. The snappers are pretty spooky and will only allow you a few legal fish before they stop eating. Look for sea trout over the grass flats in both North and South Biscayne Bay. Because the fish are so scattered over the flats it’s easier to catch them if you drift with the wind and the tide as you fish natural baits and artificial lures. Nighttime tarpon and snook fishing continues to be good late at night. Hit the bridges and dock with lights with live shrimp for these fish. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 7:43 AM.
South Bay
Tarpons are eating live crabs in the Key Biscayne Channel. Big jack crevalles are feeding on live ballyhoos and pilchards in the South Biscayne Bay Channel’s. Lots of barracudas and sharks have been feeding on the edges of the flats of South Bay. Bonefish continue to feed early in the mornings and again late in the afternoons along the Oceanside flats of South Bay and along the western shorelines of South Bay. Use a large shrimp for these fish. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:13 in the morning.
Flamingo
High water in the morning in Florida Bay will allow fishermen in shallow-water skiffs to target snook, redfish, tarpons and sea trout on the tops of the flats. Look for these fish in the potholes and cruising over the grass. Toss shiny soft plastics at these fish. Look for sea trout on the channel edges in Conchie Channel, Palm Channel and Tin Can Channel. A live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float will keep you busy with the sea trout, plus, mangrove snappers, jacks, and the rains this past week made the inside waters a tad fresh. When this happens the fish move closer to the Gulf. Look for snook, redfish, sea trout and snappers at the river and creek mouths. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:02 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 10:50 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
May 9-11 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southeast at 10 to 15 knots late Friday through Saturday. Sunday winds are forecasted to decrease to 5 to 10 knots out of the southeast. There will be a full moon on Monday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Mullet schools are thinning out as they move north for the summer. As they leave our area so do many of the predators that feed on them. Tarpons continue to patrol the ocean inlets but now these silver giants are feeding more on live crabs than mullets. Snook are beginning to school up around the inlets as they prepare for their spawning season. Offshore, the fishing has been good but you have to have some patience as you wait for the strikes to come. Kingfish to 20 pounds, Spanish mackerel, sailfish, blackfin tuna and dolphin fish were caught this past week. Kite fishing in depths between 100 to 300 feet of water was producing the most fish. Fishing quality live baitfish was key to getting the most strikes. Fishing around hard bottom and artificial reefs enhanced your chance of getting the best fish. With an approaching full moon on Monday, wahoo could be biting in the mornings this weekend. Trolling drone spoons, Sea Witches and blue-and-pink flashy feathers from the outer reef out to 200 feet and near the ocean inlets and sewer outfalls on the outgoing tides will increase your wahoo chances. Lots of Sargasso weeds continue to slide by our coast. Some are holding dolphin fish and others are not. Look for birds and bait under the weeds and once spotted start fishing. Grouper season is open and gag, red, and black groupers are being caught over hard bottom and artificial reefs in depths from 80 to 300 feet of water. Some big mutton snappers, amberjacks and almoco jacks are eating live pinfish and goggle eye jacks fished close to the bottom. Nighttime reef fish has been good for yellowtail snappers. The snappers are biting over the reefs in 45 to 100 feet of water. Chumming with frozen blocks of chum while anchored gives you the best opportunity at getting these fish behind your boat. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:46.
North Biscayne Bay
Sea trout are schooled up over the healthy grass flats that have either a good tidal flow or mullet schools nearby. The NLBN’s tipped with a paddle tail soft plastic continues to produce plenty of fish. Snook are biting in the ocean inlets. Live shrimp, pinfish and pilchards are getting the strikes. The nighttime tarpon bite has been OK only because the nightly shrimp runs have slowed. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:04.
South Bay
Bonefish have been available throughout the day in South Bay. The best action is coming during the morning hours. This weekend high water in the morning will have the bonefish high up on your favorite flat or close to the shorelines along the oceanside flats and the mainland flats. A few tarpons are still moving along the oceanside flats south of Key Biscayne. Look for big logs slowly moving over the bottom and cast soft plastics or pilchards at them. You might get lucky and catch a permit, bonefish and tarpon this weekend giving you the Grand Slam of the flats. Add a mutton snapper to that list and you have the Super Slam. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 8:12 in the morning.
Flamingo
Quite a few small snook have been scattered throughout Florida Bay. The bigger fish may be moving offshore to rock piles, markers, wrecks and along the coast as they prepare to spawn. Redfish, sea trout and tarpons have been feeding in and along the channel edges. The stone crab traps are being removed or have been removed from the Gulf waters. Keep your eyes open for free-floating tripletails almost anywhere you travel during your day. The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays are starting to get buggy. Snook, sea trout, redfish, snappers, and small tarpons are being caught along the island shorelines and at the island points that have baitfish schools. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 9:52 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 7:22 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
May 2-4 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east at 10 to 15 knots late Friday into Saturday. Sunday winds are forecasted to be out of the east at 5 to 10 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Mullet schools are thinning out as we get closer to summertime like weather. Tarpons, snook, big jack crevalles and sharks continue to patrol the inlets as they look for something to eat. The offshore bite has been unpredictable. One day the sailfish are everywhere and the next hard to find. When the winds are out of the northeast and strong and there is a decent north current, the sails are riding the swells and eating anything that they see. Live threadfin herrings, goggle eye jacks, pilchards and cigar minnows have been the top baits. Mixed in with the sails have been blackfin tuna, wahoo, kingfish, and dolphin fish. Look for current rips, weedlines and slicks in depths between 109 to 300 feet of water and fish your baits from a kite or free-lined from the side of the boat or stern. The shallow water grouper season opened on May 1st. There has been a good amount of red groupers plus a few black groupers on the wrecks. A live pinfish will get you bit but if a shark eats that grouper move on to another spot. Otherwise every good fish you hook is likely to get eaten by a shark. Big mutton snappers are being caught over rocky bottoms in 100 to 200 feet of water. Bonito strips and Spanish sardines fished on long leaders and heavy weights have been getting the most strikes. The snappers seem more eager to take a bait when the currents are strong. The nighttime reef bottom bite has been good when the seas are calm. Yellowtail, mutton, and mangrove snappers have been feeding on 40 to 100 feet of water. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:10.
North Biscayne Bay
Baitfish schools have disappeared in the bay. Sea trout are biting over many of the grass flats in the bay. Mixed in with the trout are mangrove snappers, jack crevalles, ladyfish and barracudas. Pinfish are eating shrimp so fast off your hooks the other fish don’t have a chance to find them. Cast artificials for the best results on these flats fish. The night bite for tarpons and snook has been the best late at night on the outgoing tides. Look for these fish around the bay bridges and docks with lights that shine on the water. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:35.
South Bay
Bonefish have been biting on the early morning and late afternoon incoming tides. Look for the bonefish around the Arsenicker Keys, Cutter Bank and Totten Key. Permits are feeding along the points of the Oceanside islands and over the rocky flats on the Oceanside of South Bay. Use a large shrimp for the bonefish and a silver dollar size blue crab for the permits. Decent size tarpons have been moving along the Oceanside flats. Anchor your boat in four to six feet of water and look for the dark colored logs. As they slide by, cast a soft plastic at them. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:05 in the morning.
Flamingo
Snook, redfish, and sea trout have been sitting in the it holes up high on the Florida Bay flats. If your boat will let you get up in these flats, cast soft plastics at these holes. Snook, redfish, and sea trout have been feeding along the downed trees that are scattered along the shorelines. A live shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float cast close to these trees should get you a quick bite. The stone crab season ends soon and the crab trap floats will be gone. Head outside the parks boundary’s and run the traps as you look for the tripletails and then cast a shrimp near the fish and you should hook up quick. The inside waters have had good fishing for snook, redfish, sea trout, tarpons, snappers, and Goliath groupers. Fish the island shorelines and points with soft plastics. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 9:38 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 8:11 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
April 25 - 27 Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east at 15 to 20 knots late Friday through Saturday. On Sunday winds are forecasted to be out of the northeast at 5 to 10 knots. There will be a new moon Sunday night.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Tarpon are still available to catch in the ocean inlets and along the beach. Schools of mullet have been migrating north and when they come into the inlets or swim along the outside of the swim buoys the action can be fantastic. Besides the tarpon feeding on the mullet, big jack crevalles, barracudas, snook, and sharks are feeding on the mullets. The offshore bite has been much better. Sailfish continue to be the fish targeted the most but big blackfin tuna are in our area and biting to. Kingfish, bonitos, hammerhead sharks, barracudas, dolphin fish, and wahoo are also biting in the same depths as the sailfish and blackfins. The best depths to target these fish has been between 100 to 240 feet of water. Live goggle eye jacks, threadfin herrings, pilchards, cigar minnows and Spanish sardines have been the best live baits to use for these fish. Drifting fresh ballyhoos and Spanish sardines through these depths is also getting some of the fish. The new moon on Sunday might spark a good wahoo bite along the outside reef during the mornings. Over the deeper wrecks and rock piles smaller blackfin tunas are being chummed to the surface and caught on live baitfish and vertical jigs. Sharks have been really bad in these areas. Dolphin fish have been caught in decent numbers along weed lines in depths from 600 to over 1000 feet of water. Large mutton snappers are showing up in their spawning spots. These fish are not easy to find in our area. If you have an idea of where they might be congregating, then you have to have the patience to wait for them to feed. The nighttime reef fishing has been fair mostly because the windy weather made fishing the reefs difficult. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:44.
North Biscayne
Sea trout are spawning over the grass flats in North Bay. The best way to locate these fish is by drifting the flats as you scatter cast the NLBN jig heads tipped with a 3” paddle tail soft plastic. Once you locate the first fish, chances are great you will continue to catch the trout till they move on or shut off. Each angler is allowed 3 trout between 15” and 19”s with only one fish allowed on the boat over 19”s. Mixed in with the trout have been mangrove snappers, barracudas, ladyfish, tarpons, jack crevalles, and bonnethead sharks. Mullet schools continue to move through the bay. Big jack crevalles are feeding on the mullets as well as tarpons and large sharks. The night tarpon and snook bite has been good around the bay bridges and under the lighted dock lights. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:10.
South Bay
Lots of small barracudas are feeding along the edges of the channels in South Bay. Big jack crevalles are feeding on mullet schools. The mainland shorelines have seen some good snook fishing when the mullet schools move north along the shorelines. Bonefishing has been good in the area of the Arsenicker Keys, Cutter Bank, and Totten Key. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 8:27 in the morning.
Flamingo
A falling tide will have snook, tarpon, redfish, and sea trout feeding near the edges of the Florida Bay flats. Big tarpons and sharks are being caught in and around Sandy Key Basin. As the tide starts to rise the shorelines from Curry Key north to East Cape will provide steady action from snook, redfish, and sea trout. A live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float cast close to the down trees won’t last long. The rivers and creeks along the coast have been holding small schools of tarpons. The inside waters of Ouster and Whitewater Bays are providing action from small snook, redfish, sea trout. Look for these fish along shorelines and points that have small baitfish nearby. Keep an eye out for big splashes or rolling tarpons in open water. This will be big tarpons. The tarpons will eat a live pinfish or mullet or artificials resembling the baitfish. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 10:02 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 7:34 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
April 17 Report Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Big jack crevalles, tarpons and sharks are feeding on the mullet schools when they move through the inlet. A few kingfish to 20 pounds, large sailfish, bonitos and large blackfin tunas are being caught in depths between 100 to 300 feet of water. The best vacation is taking place along current and weedlines in these depths of water. Dolphin fish show up one day and disappear the next. When they show up they have been on weedlines outside of 600 feet of water. Large mutton snappers and cobias are being caught over many of the artificial reefs in depths between 120 to 240 feet of water. Live ballyhoos and pinfish have been getting the strikes. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 6:30.
North Biscayne Bay
Schools of mullets continue to migrate through the bay. When the mullets are in the open bays, big jack crevalles, barracudas and sharks are feeding on them. When the mullets are over the flats, big spawning sea trout are feeding under them. The nighttime tarpon bite continues to be good especially when the shrimp are running. Drift a large live shrimp under a bay bridge and the chances a hooking a tarpon, snook, ladyfish, jack or sea trout are great. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:49.
South Bay
Schools of mullets have been moving through South Bay all week. Some big tarpons and large jack crevalles are feeding on them. Lots of small barracudas are hanging out under the remaining Stiltsville houses. Bonefish have been feeding over the Oceanside flats, the mainland flats and over the flats near Totten Key and Cutter Bank. The best action has been on the incoming tides. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 8:19 in the morning.
Flamingo
On the warmer and calmer days fishing up on the flats in Florida Bay has provided light tackle anglers with steady action from snook, redfish and sea trout. The fish can be seen pushing wakes or just sitting in or near a pothole as they wait for prey to swim by. Soft plastic weedless baitfish imitations like the NLBN 4” and 5” mullets hooked to a BKK weedless hook work well up on the flats. Tarpon have been biting along the coast and out near Sandy Key Basin. Live mullets, crabs and ladyfish have been getting the tarpon strikes. Tripletails have been holding next to the crab trap buoys and will eat a live shrimp. The inside waters of Whitewater and Oyster Bays have provided steady action from snappers, snook, redfish, and sea trout. This action is taking place along points and shorelines that have a good tidal flow. Jig heads with shrimp, soft plastics, and live shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float is getting the no. Done on these fish. Big tarpons move in and out of these areas as the water temperatures change. When the waters are above 74 degrees the tarpon are there and hungry.High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 9:21 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 9:22 AM.
April 11-13 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 10 to 15 knots late Friday. Saturday through Sunday winds are forecasted to be out of the north at 15 to 20 knots. Full moon on Saturday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
An early evening full moon outgoing tide this weekend should provide a nice tarpon and snook bite. The tarpons have been biting medium size crabs, large shrimp and mullets. The snook have been eating live shrimp and mullets. The offshore bite continues to be decent. A good number of sailfish, some decent size dolphin fish, a few kingfish, a decent amount of blackfin tunas, true Atlantic bonitos, and false albacore have all been biting this past week. Most of these fish have been caught in depths between 100 to 300 feet of water. The sails, dolphins and bigger blackfin tunas are being caught using live baits fished under a kite. The smaller tunas and Atlantic bonitos are biting vertical jigs and have been over wrecks and rock piles in depths between 300 to 500 feet of water. The full moon this weekend could spark a nice wahoo bite along the outer reef line. High speed trolling and trolling large drone spoons deep with the help of a planer works well during the mornings for the wahoo. Some large hammerhead sharks have showed up in our area and have taken some of the kite baits. Big amberjacks and maybe the first spawning mutton snappers can be targeted over many of the offshore wrecks this weekend. The night reef bite continues to produce nice catches of yellowtail snappers. The yellowtails are being caught over rocky bottoms outside of 60 feet of water. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 8:57.
North Biscayne Bay
Lots of mullet schools are in the bay. Big tarpons, barracudas, sharks, sea trout, snook, and large jack crevalles are feeding on the mullet schools. When the mullets are up on the flats creating mullet muds, large spawning sea trout can be found feeding under them. The NLBN 5” mullets have been catching a lot of these fish. The night tarpon bite continues to be good along the bay bridges and dock lights. Large shrimp have been getting it done. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:05.
South Bay
Bonefish and permits have been feeding along the oceanside flats of South Bay. Look for the permits to be feeding near the island points and over a hard bottom. Throw a live silver dollar size blue crab at the permits and a shrimp at the bonefish. A few super large mutton snappers are following large rays on the flat. They will eat that crab for sure. Head to the western shorelines of South Bay and start looking for some baby tarpons. These tarpons are suckers for the NLBN 3” paddle tails. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:35 in the morning.
Flamingo
I love a low tide in Florida Bay first thing in the morning. Perfect time to fish a live shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float, or a shrimp on a jig head, or a soft plastic rigged weedless. Any of these rigs fished tight to the edge of the drop off of the flat, in a run off, or over a pothole is likely to get you strikes from a snook, redfish, large sea trout, or tarpon. Large tarpons gave been feeding on mullet schools in the areas of Sandy Key and along the shorelines from East Cape north to Lostmans River. The inside waters of Whitewater and Oyster Keys have been good one day but not the next. When the fish are biting they have been around the island points, and over hard bottom. Expect sea trout, redfish and snook in these areas. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:32 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 11:12 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
April 4-6 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southeast at 15 to 20 knots late Friday through Saturday before subsiding on Sunday. Sunday winds are forecasted to be southeast at 15 knots before subsiding to 5 to 10 knots late Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
During some of the windiest nights last week, shrimp were running like crazy. Tarpons, snook, jack crevalles, ladyfish, snappers and sea trout were eating those shrimp as they moved through the bridges into the ocean. The offshore bite has been very unpredictable. Kingfish have been hard to find, sailfish continue to be caught by kite fishermen, wahoos were caught by trolling spoons deep, bonitos were scarce. It’s hard to believe that the fishing offshore would be so slow seeing the Spring migration has started. What action has happened offshore is near the reef from 100 to 200 feet of water. The bright spot was the beautiful weed lines that have formed offshore. These weed lines were found in depths from 200 feet of water, 350 feet of water, and outside of 800 feet of water. The deeper lines had quite a few dolphins feeding along them in the mornings. Most of these dolphins were under the legal size limit but if you kept at it you could get enough legal ones to make it worth the effort. Last week I fished for blackfin tunas late in the afternoon. To my disappointment what I witnessed was so alarming. Surrounded by 10 other boats loaded with fishermen with the same hopes as us of having tuna shashimi for dinner but only hooking up with these incredible tunas only to have the sharks take each one. We hooked five and lost them all. The first two made it to within feet of the boat only to be swallowed whole by these sharks. The same thing happened to the other 20 boats and fishermen. I saw one tuna come into a boat. A fish that might have been five pounds. That fish was hooked and literally pulled right into the boat before a shark could get it. Just terrible! I also heard of an estimated 80-pound wahoo being eaten by sharks after an hour battle. The wreck bottom fishing was only fair this week. A few muttons, vermilion’s, and yelloweye snappers. A few amberjacks and a catch and release grouper was caught. The nighttime reef fishing was fair this past week. Windy conditions made it tough. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 8:37.
North Biscayne Bay
Schools of mullets have moved into North Bay. One animal that has been having a field day on the mullet schools is the bottle nosed dolphins. Big tarpons, snook, sharks, jack crevalles, barracudas and sea trout are feeding on these baitfish. At night tarpon continue to be caught and released in decent numbers. The tarpons have been eating shrimp. Some of the tarpons that are being fought have been eaten by sharks. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 11:01.
South Bay
Wins dropped off on Tuesday and the bonefish and permits loved it. The action was happening along the Oceanside flats south of Key Biscayne and along the western flats south of Key Biscayne. The best action has been on the first of the incoming tide. The Finger Channels have been producing snappers, pompano, jacks, and grunts. Live shrimp fished near the bottom is getting the strikes. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 10:31 in the morning.
Flamingo
Dirty water made fishing Florida Bay tough. If you found some clear water, snook, redfish and sea trout were biting. Live shrimp was the top bait. The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays produced some nice action from snook, redfish, and sea trout. The fish were scattered along the island shorelines. The NLBN jig heads and paddle tail soft plastics was getting a lot of the strikes. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:06 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 11:51 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
March 28-30 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
There will be a new moon on Saturday. NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of east at 15 to 25 knots late Friday. Saturday and Sunday east at 15 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Ree f
Sailfishing continues to be excellent, especially when the current is moving north and the winds are out of a northerly quadrant. The sailfish bite has been taking place in depths between 100 and 260 feet of water. If you can find an edge in these depths then that is most likely where the sails will be encountered. Kite fishing with frisky live threadfin herrings, goggle eye jacks, pilchards, small bluerunners, and ballyhoos has been the best way to get multiple sailfish hookups. You can also slow-drift the edges with the wind or with your engine slowly pushing you forward while you fish your live baits from the side of the boat on the stern of the boat. Some oversized dolphin fish have been cruising by our coast and occasionally will take a kite bait intended for sailfish. To make things more interesting a few pods of giant bluefin tunas have been sighted in our area. If you get a strike and in seconds your reel has no line left on it, most likely a bluefin was on the other end or maybe a submarine.😂A few large kingfish and decent size blackfin tunas are being caught offshore. The kings are mostly inside of 200 feet of water and blackfins outside of 200 feet of water. On the bottom over the wrecks when the current is fishable, amberjacks, mutton snappers and catch and release groupers have been eating live pinfish. Look for cobias to be added to the bottom fish catches as we get closer to April. The night reef bite continues to produce a mixed bag of snappers, grunts, toros, bluefish and a few kingfish. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 8:59.
North Biscayne Bay
Seatrout continue to be the main fish being caught in the bay right now. Schools of large mullets are migrating through our area and when they are up on the flats some of the biggest sea trout are eating them. Mixed in with the trout are tarpons, snook, barracudas, jack crevalles and sharks. Cast crop water artificial in the mullet muds and chances are good you will get an exciting top water explosive strike. The nighttime snook and tarpon bite has been good on the outgoing tides along the shadow lines of the bay bridges and in the ocean inlets. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 10:28.
South Bay
Calmer conditions this past week made targeting bonefish and some permits much easier. The Oceanside flats south of Key Biscayne have been holding both bonefish and permits. The Eastern shorelines from Dinner Key south to Card Sound road have had bonefish medium size tarpons and snook to target. The incoming tides seem to be the getter tide to fish. You will need some large shrimp for the bonefish and a silver dollar size crab for the permits. The snook and tarpons will be eating live pilchards and mullets. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:45 in the morning.
Flamingo
A late morning low tide and a new moon condition will provide some big high tides and low low low tides. Look for snook, redfish and seatrout to be feeding in areas of big mullet muds and pot holes. The Savage Gear Twitch Reaper works well in the mullet muds. Tripletails have been plentiful behind the crab trap buoys. Most of these tripletails have been under 18 inches the minimal length allows fr a legally kept tripletail. The inside waters of Whitewater and Oyster Bays have been providing steady action from sea trout. Look for the trout to be feeding in front of the island points that have a good tidal flow and over the shallow flats between the islands. The NLBN jig heads tipped with a paddle tail soft plastic or shrimp tail have been killing the trout. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 11:23 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 8:47 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
March 21-23 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 10 to 15 knots. Saturday winds are forecasted to be out of the east at 5 to 10 knots and Sunday winds are forecasted to be out of the south at 10 to 15 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
The chilly weather this past week had a shrimp running from the bay to the ocean on the outgoing tides. The tarpons were feeding on them as they drifted through the inlets. A large live shrimp suspended under a Cajun Thunder float and drifted through the inlet made an easy meal for the tarpons. Along the beaches and off the jetties and piers, a few mackerel, bluefish, jacks, pompano and snook were being caught. Live pilchards and shrimp were the best baits for these fish this week. The offshore bite was good and bad depending on what you were targeting. A few kingfish to 20 pounds were caught in depths between 40 to 100 feet of water. Chumming hard with live pilchards was the best way to get these fish in a feeding mood. Outside of 100 feet of water, sailfish continue to slide by our coast and at times in big numbers. The sailfish were traveling in pods of more than 2 fish but also as singles. The guys using kites and fish more than one bait at a time under the kites were getting multiple hookups. If they fished free-lined baits at the same time, those baits would get eaten by the sails as well. The sailfish were being caught along current rips in depths between 100 to 300 feet of water. Fishing your baits around artificial wrecks in these depths increased your chances of catching the sailfish, blackfin tuna, wahoo, and some oversized dolphin fish. There have been some cobias, amberjacks, and big mutton snappers on many of the wrecks. A live pinfish doesn’t last long over a wreck that has some fish on it. The nighttime reef bite has been tough with the very conditions recently. In-between the windy nights when it’s been calm and the current is moving with the wind, yellowtail snappers can be chummed to the boat and caught on cut baits fished with light weights. The depths between 40 to 100 feet of water is where these fish are biting. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:54.
North Biscayne Bay
Windy conditions and tons of Spring Break boat traffic has made the bay waters dirty and choppy. These conditions have made fishing in the bay challenging. Schools of mullets are moving into the bay and a few big jack crevalles, tarpons, and sharks are feeding on them. Over the healthy pieces of sea grass beds that are left in the bay, sea trout have been healthy and hungry. A live shrimp or pilchard fished under a Cajun Thunder float rarely doesn’t get eaten by the trout but if you like throwing artificial baits then try the NLBN jig heads tipped with a paddle tail soft plastic. They are deadly on the trout. Tarpon fishing at night along the bay bridges continues to be good. Large live shrimp free lined under the bridges is the way to catch these silver giants. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 10:18.
South Bay
With the up and down weather conditions that we keep having, bonefish just don’t know where they should be. They want to get up on the shallow flats to feed but it’s been cold in the mornings. Then as it starts to warm up a bit another cold front moves in and sends them to deeper water. Look for the bonefish to be on the shallow flats during a late morning incoming tide or an early afternoon incoming tide when water temperatures are warmer. The Oceanside flats have been the most productive for the bonefish. A few Spanish mackerels have been roaming the South Bay. Anchor your boat and drop a chum bag over the side. If there are any mackerel in the area they should show up in ten or fifteen minutes. Fish a live shrimp under a float for the mackerels. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:48 in the morning.
Flamingo
Cold water in Florida Bay has slowed the snook and tarpon bite in Florida Bay. A few snook and redfish are being caught on a variety of baits late in the day after the sun has had a chance to warm the waters. The one fish that doesn’t seem to mind the cooler temps is the sea trout. My clients caught at least a hundred trout during an 8-hour charter. Only three were of legal size. We did have three snook to 24 inches and had two tripletails to 16 inches caught off of the crab trap markers. The backcountry waters continue to be chilly. But the sea trout don’t mind. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 5:50 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 3:30 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
March 14-16 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the south late Friday through Sunday at 15 to 20 knots. Always check the most recent marine forecast before heading out on the water. We will be under the effects of a full moon this weekend.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
A big full moon Friday night might get the bay shrimp running and if so with a bright moon overhead you should be able to see the hungry tarpons slurping them off the surface. The best tarpon bite has been either in the ocean inlets on the outgoing tides or along the bay bridges near the ocean inlets. Match the hatch for these tarpons! Off the Oceanside piers and jetties, expect jack crevalles, barracudas, snook, bluefish and Spanish mackerel to be eating anything that looks like a shrimp or pilchard. A few pompano have been passing by and will eat a live shrimp, sand flea or a Doc’s Goofy jig. The offshore bite has been pretty consistent for sailfish. The sailfish have been eating large live baits like threadfin herrings fished under a kite. These same baits are attracting kingfish, a few bonitos, blackfin tuna, and a dolphin. The big moon might spark a decent wahoo bite late in the afternoon. Look for wahoos around the sewer outfalls, along the outer reef, I front of the o ran inlets, and over artificial reefs inside of 300 feet of water. On the bottom over the deeper wrecks, a good amount of yelloweye and vermillion snappers have been eating chunks of squid on a chicken rig. The nighttime reef bite continues to produce steady catches of yellowtail snappers especially when the current and winds are going in the same direction. Look for these snappers in 60 to 100 feet of water. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 10PM.
North Biscayne Bay
The seatrout bite continues in the bay. The trout have been scattered throughout the bay but have been concentrated in small areas where baitfish, live grass on the bottom, and a good tidal flow is present. The trout have been biting the NLBN’s jig heads, and soft plastic paddle tails and shrimp. A live shrimp or pilchard fished under a Cajun Thunder float is another way to catch the trout. Tarpon fishing at night continues to be good. Look for the tarpons along the bay bridges near the ocean inlets. A large live shrimp rarely gets ignored by these tarpons when free-lined with the tide to their waiting mouths. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 5:32.
South Bay
Bonefish and few permits have been targetable along the Oceanside flats south of Key Biscayne. The bones and permits have also been feeding near the Arsenicker Keys and in the area of Card Sound road. For the permits you will need a silver-dollar-size blue crab. The bonefish like a large shrimp. Snook, jacks, small tarpons and barracudas have been feeding in areas where baitfish schools have been. Look for these fish along the western shorelines and into the canals near Black Piont. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 10:42 in the morning.
Flamingo
A strong outgoing tide in Florida Bay might trigger a good snook and redfish bite if these fish weren’t feeding at night on the bright full moon. The sides of channels in Snake Bight, Tin Can and Palm Channel are always good for these fish. A live shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float or attached to a jig head will get you plenty of strikes. If you like throwing artificials then try the NLBN jig heads with either a paddle tail or shrimp tail. Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano, tripletails and cobia can be chummed to the boat and then targeted with shrimp. Anchor in 10 feet of water outside of Sandy Key and chum with frozen chum. It shouldn’t take long before the fish start biting. If the inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays temperatures get back into the mid 70’s, tarpons should return. Look for rolling tarpons and fish splashing on the surface. Fish a small ladyfish or pinfish in these areas for the tarpons. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 4:45 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 9:36 AM
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
March 7-9 Fishing Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the south at 5 to 10 knots late Friday. Saturday winds are forecasted to be south at 10 to 15 knots. Sunday expect winds to be out of the southwest at 15 to 20 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Nighttime tarpon fishing continues to be good in the ocean inlets and sling the Oceanside beaches. Drifting large live shrimp behind the stern of your boat has been the best approach at catching the tarpons. Off the Oceanside piers, a few Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano, jacks, barracudas and bluefish have been biting at different times during the day. The offshore bite has been best when the winds have been out of the north to northeast and the currents have been moving north. During these conditions large numbers of sailfish were being caught and released. The sailfish bite had been in 100 feet out to 300 feet of water. Dolphin fish have been moving through the area but have not been consistent. The dolphins have been caught by anglers targeting sailfish while fishing live baits under a kite. Kingfish, bonitos, a wahoo or two, and blackfin tuna have been caught in the same depths as the sailfish. In the blue water of the Gulf Stream, a few schools of dolphin fish have been caught under floating debris. This action has occurred in 500 feet of water or deeper. Over hard bottom outside of 100 feet of water, a few legal mutton snappers, amberjacks, yellowtail snappers, and catch and release red groupers have been caught on live pilchards. The deeper artificial wrecks have had decent numbers of vermillion snappers. Cut squid is getting the bites. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 9:04.
North Biscayne Bay
Bay fishing slowed a bit with the windy conditions and the large amount of boat traffic due to Spring Break. The boat wakes that have muddied the flats, Seatrout, mangrove snappers and small barracudas have been eating the NLBN jig heads tipped with a 3-inch paddle tail soft plastic. A few schools of tarpons have been feeding over some of the flats in the bay when the water temperatures have been above 75 degrees. The nighttime tarpon bite continues to be good along the shadow lines of many of the bridges in the bay. A large free lined live shrimp is best for these tarpons. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 5:04.
South Bay
Wind and dirty water have made sight fishing for bonefish a challenge. Anchoring your boat on top of a flat that has a decent tidal flow and then chumming with small pieces of shrimp helps bring the bones to the boat. Cast a live shrimp behind the boat and wait for the bones to find it. A few legal size mangrove snappers, mutton snappers, bluerunners, and yellowjacks, have been eating live shrimp in the finger channels. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 10:57 in the morning.
Flamingo
An incoming tide early in the morning in Florida Bay will allow you to take advantage of snook, redfish, sea trout and tarpons as they move up on the shallow Florida Bay flats. Hit the run offs and any part of the flat that shows signs of bait with shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float or a shrimp attached to a jig head. Saying soft plastics rigged weedless along the edges of the flat or up on the flat should get you into the action. Tarpons have been feeding on crabs, mullets, and shrimp in the channels near Sandy Key. Large redfish, snook, black drum, and cobias are being caught on shrimp and jig heads next to pilings and ice gets bottom in Florida Bay and in the Gulf of America. Redfish, snook and sea trout have been feeding along the mangrove shorelines along the coast north of Sable Creek. In Oyster Bay and Whitewater Bays, tarpons have been feeding on ladyfish and mullets when the water temperatures are above 75 degrees. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:51 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 12:07 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Feb. 28-March 2 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 5 to 10 knots throughout the weekend. The New Moon is February 27 through the 28th.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Shrimp continue to run at night from the bay to the ocean. If you hit it right, big tarpons are sucking the shrimp right off the surface. The tarpon cans be targeted with large live shrimp drifted behind the boat. The NLBN jig heads tipped with a 3” paddle tail soft plastic or a NLBN shrimp and jig head work well on these tarpons. Look for the action near the ocean inlets, especially where lights shine in the water. Mangrove snappers, ladyfish, jack crevalles and snook are also feeding on the shrimp. Sailfish showed up in big numbers this past week offshore of the South Florida coast. The sails were moving through the area in small packs and attacking every bait in their line of sight. Mixed in with the sails were kingfish to 30 pounds, blackfin tuna to 20 pounds, wahoo and dolphin fish to 15 pounds. The most productive way to get into these fish is to deploy a kite and fish at least two baits under the kite. You can also slow drift live baits from the stern or drift fresh dead baits from the side of the boat. Most of this action is coming near artificial reefs in depths between 100 to 300 feet of water. A few giant bluefin tunas have been spotted along the outside reefs. Over the wrecks in depths between 160 to 500 feet of water, vermillion and red snappers are being caught on chicken rigs baited with cut squid. At night, yellowtail snappers have been biting. This action is happening over the outer reefs in 60 to 100 feet of water. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 9:07.
North Biscayne Bay
Baitfish schools have been hard to find in the bay. Shrimp have been running at night. Seatrout have been scattered over the shallow flats of the bay. Once you find them they have been eager to take a wide variety of artificial baits. Live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float have been catching the trout as well. At night, tarpons have been feeding on shrimp along the bay bridges. The best action is coming on the outgoing tide. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 10:39.
South Bay
Bonefishing has been good along the Oceanside flats south of Soldiers Key. High water in the morning will allow you an opportunity to get in tight to the shorelines where you should have good opportunities at cruising and mudding fish. The Finger Channels continue to provide rod-bending action for small snappers, groupers, jacks and grunts. The best baits for the channel fishing is shrimp and live pilchards. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:56 in the morning.
Flamingo
Hit the sides of the channels and runoffs of Florida Bay in the morning for redfish, snook and seatrout. Live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float allowed to drift down the edge of the flat should provide steady action from these fish. Don’t forget to pop that float every now and then to get the fishes attention. Look for Spanish mackerel and tripletail on the edges of the Gulf. Anchor in 10 feet of water and chum while you fish live shrimp under a float for these fish. When running from one spot to another keep an eye out for free floating tripletails. They love a live shrimp. The backwaters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays had quite a few hungry tarpon to target before it got chilly. It might take a few days before they move back into these areas. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 11:39 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 8:55 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
Feb. 21-23 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 15 to 25 knots late Friday. Early Saturday winds are forecasted to stay at NE at 15 to 25 knots then winds are expected to decrease and move to a more easterly quadrant. Sunday winds are forecasted to be out of the east at 5 to 10 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Tarpon continue to be active in the ocean inlets during the outgoing tides. An early evening low tide on Friday night could make for some interesting inlet fishing. Large live shrimp continue to be the top tarpon baits at night. Off the Oceanside piers and jetties, snook, pompano, Spanish mackerel and bluerunners have been biting during the daytime. Live shrimp and pilchards have been getting these fish. The offshore bite picked up this week with more kingfish being caught. The kings have been eating live baits, fresh ballyhoos and Spanish sardines. Some of the kings have been in the 30-pound range. Look for the hogfish in depths between 60 to 180 feet of water. Flying kites and fishing frisky live baits under the kites in depths between 140 to 300 feet of water is producing sailfish, an occasional dolphin fis, and some large blackfin tuna. Fish the current rips and areas around artificial reefs for the most action. Daytime bottom fishing has seen some action from mutton and yellowtail snappers, amberjacks, and a few cobias. Most of this action is coming off of artificial reefs. Bottom fishing at night has produced an assortment of snappers, bluerunners, bluefish, toros, grunts and Spanish and king mackerels. Most of this action is happening in 60 to 90 feet of water. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 8:46.
North Biscayne Bay
During the week, tarpon were feeding over the shallow flats in Biscayne Bay. Cooler water temperatures this week probably will send them looking for warmer waters. The shallow flats in the bay continue to provide plenty of action from sea trout, small barracudas, snappers and jacks. The NLBN’s continue to catch lots of fish. At night during the outgoing tides tarpons have been feeding hard on live shrimp along the shadow lines of the bay bridges. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 11.10.
South Bay
Bonefish and a few permits have been feeding over the Oceanside flats south of Key Biscayne. Permits have been caught on small crabs at the island points as the tide flows across it. The mainland flats south of Dinner Key south to Card Sound road continue to provide action from bonefish. Large live shrimp is getting the bonefish strikes.Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 10:40 in the morning.
Flamingo
Cooler conditions this weekend might push the fish off the flats and into the channels. As the water starts coming in hit the edges of the flats and runoffs with live shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float or a NLBN artificial for snook, redfish, blackdrum, trout and sheepshead. Look for Spanish mackerel to be willing to play on the outside of Sandy Key in 10 to 12 feet of water. Use live shrimp for these fish. Keep an eye out for pompano, tripletails and cobia while targeting the mackerels. On the inside waters of Whitewater and Oyster Bays, tarpons could be seen rolling and blowing baits out of the water. As long as the water temperatures stay up these fish could stay in these bays and be targeted with the NLBN’s. If the water temperatures drop into the low 70’s or 60’s the tarpon will head back into the Gulf. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:57 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 3:52 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net www.getemsportfishing.com
